Known to inhabit waters from southern Queensland to Victoria and west to central coast of Western Australia. In Tasmania this species is usually associated with the Kent Group islands in the Bass Strait.

Larger fish have bright blue tattoo markings around the eyes and face and it is these distinctive facial markings, likened to New Zealand Maori tattoos, that have resulted in the name for this wrasse.

Females and juveniles have the appearance of three long, coloured stripes along the length of the body. These longitudinal stripes are red-brown at the top, a thin white stripe in the middle and a green belly stripe. The males have a greener colour on upper body and often have a black and white stripe running the length of their body.

AKA: Maori Wrasse
Family: LABRIDAE known as wrasses
Family members also on the Redmap list: snakeskin wrasse, crimsonband wrasse, eastern blue groper
Habitat: Exposed reef
Size: Up to approximately 40 cm.
Image: G. Edgar
Log it: Log the southern maori wrasse wherever it is spotted in Tasmanian waters.

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

• Australian Marine Life: The Plants and Animals of Temperate Waters by G. J. Edgar, Revised (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne
   
• Fishes of Australia’s Southern Coast, Edited by M. Gomon. D. Bray and R. Kuiter (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne
   
• Fishes of Tasmania by P. Last, E. Scott and F. Talbot (1983). Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority, Hobart