Purple Wrasse Biology

Biology

SpeciesNotolabrus fucicola
Common NamePurple Wrasse
ImportanceKey
HabitatPredominantly on exposed reefs
Depth≤ 90 m (Edgar, 2008)
DistributionNew Zealand and Australian waters, from southern New South Wales to Kangaroo Island (SA) (Edgar, 2008)
DietMolluscs and crustaceans (Denny and Schiel, 2001)
Stock StructureNo information available
MovementSite-attached, with no evidence of territorial behaviour. Movements between reefs is limited and likely to be restricted to a small proportion of the population (Barrett, 1995b)
M (Natural Mortality)0.2 (low adult mortality for both species, estimated for N. tetricus) (Barrett, 1995bSmith et al., 2003)
Maximum Age (years)24 (Welsford, 2003)
Unsexed K (von Bertalanffy growth parameter)0.85
Unsexed t0 (age (years) when length = 0)-3.23
Unsexed L∞ (asymptotic von Bertalanffy length (fork length; cm))44.7
Length (FL; fork length (cm))– Weight (W; g) RelationshipW=0.0161L^3.0407 (Barrett, 1995bWelsford, 2003)
Size at Maturity (length (fork length; cm) at which 50% of population are sexually mature)18.41 (females)
Age at Maturity (age (years) at which 50% of population sexually are mature))3 (females) Barrett, 1995aHarwood, and Lokman, 2006)
Sexual developmentGonochoristic
Spawning SeasonAugust – January
Additional Spawning InformationBatch fecundity is estimated at 74500 ± 34900 eggs/kg (Barrett, 1995b)
Early Life HistoryPlanktonic larval duration ranges from 40 – 87 days; settlement on reefs at around 10.4 mm (Welsford, 2003)