Fish profile · Labridae
Humphead wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
A large coral-reef wrasse whose adults develop a prominent forehead hump. Demand from the reef-fish trade has contributed to overexploitation; international trade is regulated under CITES.
Last reviewed 26 October 2026 · 8 sources
- Max length
- 229 cm
- IUCN
- EN
- Endangered
- In Malaysia
- Native
- Family
- Labridae
- order Perciformes
Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.
How big?
Linear scale · person 170 cm
Up to 229 cm.
Where in Malaysia
3 open-licence records · GBIF
How to identify
- Large forehead hump in adults
- Thick lips
- Two dark lines extending behind the eye
- Blue-green adult head with fine winding lines
Habitat
Indo-Pacific coral reefs, commonly at depths of 5–60 metres.
- Diet
- Fish, molluscs and crustaceans.
- Native range
- Tropical Indo-Pacific.
Before you fish
Listed in CITES Appendix II: international trade is controlled, rather than unrestricted. Malaysian permit requirements must be checked with the Department of Fisheries; this is not a statement that catching or trading the fish is automatically permitted.
Rules change and differ by state. Check with your state Fisheries Office before you fish. Last checked 26 October 2026.
Eating
Traded as a high-value reef fish; market demand has put pressure on wild stocks. This wrasse has been linked to ciguatera. Ciguatera is a natural poison that builds up in reef fish, and cooking and freezing don't destroy it.
More photos
Sources
Last reviewed 26 October 2026