A locally common, and usually readily approachable wrasse. Juveniles with black circular spot on rear dorsal fin. Larger adults develop gold flecks along the sides. This species can tolerate much lower temperatures than most wrasses by hibernating in groups. Individuals from along the reef gather in schools before winter in areas with deep crevices, and retreat into these when temperatures drop below ~7 degrees C.

• Max Size: 38 cm
• Sea Temperature Range: 1.2-23.5°C

• IUCN Threat Status: Least Concern
• Occurrence: Widespread (73% of sites)
  Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
• Abundance: Many (29 per transect)
  Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.