Fivefinger Razorfish

Interesting Info

• The Fivefinger Razorfish is a species of wrasse found in tropical and subtropical waters along the east coast of Australia. Primarily in Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef.
• They have a greyish appearance and a highly compressed body, featuring a steep forehead with a firm knife-like anterior edge. This unique feature allows the species to easily dive into the sand when threatened. The fish has several overlapping red spots along the lateral line behind the head, which may appear black underwater, and is often marked with a brown blotch just behind the pectoral-fin tip.
• Females of this species lack the red spots along the lateral line, and instead feature a large white patch with red scale margins on the lower side.
• They are a carnivorous fish and feed on small crustaceans, molluscs, and other small fish.
• The Fivefinger Razorfish are a sequential hermaphrodite, meaning that it begins life as a female and later changes sex to become a male.
• They are known to form large spawning aggregations, where thousands of individuals gather to spawn in a single location.
• This species has a complex social system, with dominant males controlling territories and harems of females.
• The species spawns throughout the year, with peak activity in spring and summer. After fertilisation, the eggs develop into pelagic larvae that drift with ocean currents before settling into coral reef habitats as juveniles. The species has a slow growth rate, with individuals taking several years to reach maturity.
• Estimated lifespan is up to 10 years.