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The Humphead Wrasse


The humphead wrasse (scientific name cheilinus undulates) is a subspecies of live reef fish that inhabits the coral reefs of the Coral Triangle and Coastal East Africa. It is a notably large subspecies of live reef fish, growing more than 6 feet long and weighing more than 400 pounds. It also has a forehead with a bulge that is so prominent that it may be the reason why "humphead" is part of its name. It can live for more than 30 years, and it spends this time roaming its habitat for hard shelled animals, such as starfish, mollusks, and crustaceans, to eat.

The humphead wrasse is classified as an Endangered species. It is this close to becoming extinct because it is overfished for its meat, as it is considered to be a valued luxury food throughout Southeast Asia. Because of this, the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF's) effort to save it consists of stopping the export of it in Malaysia. This is being done because it is very important to the health of its habitat, as it eats the crown-of-thorn starfish that damage its habitat.

Source for picture and all information: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/humphead-wrasse

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