Bird Wrasse

The bird wrasse is a medium-sized fish which can reach a standard length of 30 cm (12 in). It has an elongated body, laterally compressed, with a truncated tail and a long snout.

Adults are relatively easy to recognize by their characteristic long nose and the jerky flapping of their pectoral fins when swimming.

Juveniles are more difficult to identify, as they haven't yet developed the characteristic prominent snout.

Gomphosus varius can be confused with its close relative Gomphosus caeruleus, but differs from the latter by its color pattern and its geographic range.

Like many wrasses, Gomphosus varius is a sequential hermaphrodite.

As it changes sex, its body shape, color intensity and pattern vary considerably.

The bird wrasse is found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, from the eastern part of the Indian Ocean to the oceanic islands of the Pacific Ocean, including the Hawaiian archipelago. They frequent external slopes, reefs, and lagoon areas rich in hard coral.