Labridae

Yellowtail coris

Coris gaimard

Striking juveniles and females with bright yellow tails

• Black
• Orange
• Purple
• Red
• Cross-climate
• Subtropical
• Tropical
• Regional distribution
• Marine fish
• Fusiform
• Medium
• Tropical fish

Undergoing one of the most astonishing developmental transformations among marine fishes, the yellowtail coris presents radically different appearances throughout its life cycle. Juveniles are blazing red-orange marked with five brilliant white saddles outlined in jet black, an appearance often called the clown wrasse. As adulthood approaches, the body deepens to dark reddish-brown or olive, sprinkled across the rear half with thousands of iridescent sapphire-blue spangles, while the head develops emerald and orange wavy bands and the caudal fin transforms into brilliant canary-yellow. Distributed through the tropical Indo-Pacific from Christmas Island eastward across Micronesia and Hawaii to the Tuamotu Archipelago, it frequents sand channels, coral rubble fields, and seaward slopes between one and fifty meters depth. Armed with robust protruding forward-facing canine teeth, it levers over heavy coral slabs and stones to uncover hidden prey, including hard-shelled crabs, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and snails. When startled or seeking nightly rest, it dives swiftly headfirst beneath soft bottom sand, disappearing in seconds. Maximum total length reaches forty centimetres.

Sources: Australian Museum — Yellowtail Coris, Coris gaimard