Family : Labridae (Wrasses) , subfamily: Cheilininae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Humphead wrasse
Fish Name : Cheilinus undulatus
Max size : 229 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9823); max. published weight: 191.0 kg (Ref. 9710); max. reported age: 32 years
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 1 - 100 m
Climate : tropical; 30°N - 23°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm = 5-7; tmax = 32)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa (Ref. 35918) and to the Tuamoto Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to New Caledonia. Formerly known as Vulnerable (A1d+2cd) (Y. Sadovy) but now listed as Endangered in IUCN 2004 and listed in Appendix II of CITES.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Adults of this species develop thick lips and a prominent bulbous hump on the forehead. Juveniles pale greenish with elongate dark spots on scales tending to form bars; 2 black lines posteriorly from eye (Ref. 4392).
Biology : Inhabit steep outer reef slopes, channel slopes, and lagoon reefs (Ref. 1602). Benthopelagic at 2-60 m (Ref. 58302). Usually solitary but may occur in pairs. Juveniles are encountered in coral-rich areas of lagoon reefs, where staghorn Acropora corals abound (Ref. 1602); also in algae reefs or seagrasses (Ref. 48636, 41878). Adults rove across the reefs by day and rest in reef caves and under coral ledges at night (Ref. 31343). Primary food are mollusks, fishes, sea urchins, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. One of the few predators of toxic animals such as sea hares, boxfishes and crown-of-thorns starfish (Ref. 1602). Found in Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Gomon, M.F. and J.E. Randall. 1984
Coordinator : Westneat, Mark
Main Ref : Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene. 1990. (Ref. 2334)

India country information
Common Names : ചവരി ച്ചോരന്, തൊക്ക, തോക്ക, ചാവരിചൊരന്, Chavarichoran, Thokka
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses