Wounded Wrasse: The Reef's 'Bloodstained' Beauty

Despite the dramatic name, there's nothing hurt about the wounded wrasse — the red blotches that look like wounds are simply its markings. Here's how to spot it near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

Wounded Wrasse · Halichoeres chierchiae

How to spot the wounded wrasse near Jacó

Look over rocky reef and rubble, where wounded wrasses row along near the bottom. Males are greenish with bright red-orange blotches and blue spots; females are paler with a dark spot on the back. They're small, quick and always poking about the reef for food.

5 fun facts about the wounded wrasse

• Named for its 'wounds'. The red-orange blotches on the males look like bloodstains, which is exactly how the fish got its name.
• Males and females differ. Males are green with red marks; females are plainer with a dark saddle, so the two can look like different fish.
• A fin-rowing swimmer. It uses the gentle pectoral-fin 'oar stroke' common to the whole wrasse family.
• Can change sex. Like many wrasses, individuals may change from female to male as they grow.
• An Eastern Pacific native. It's found only along the Pacific coast of the Americas, a common small reef wrasse.

The wounded wrasse is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.