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Dragon Wrasse

This juvenile dragon wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is one of the more unusual members of the wrasse family. In spite of its foreboding appearance, it is actually quite harmless. The strange horns and spines are nothing more than an elaborate bluff designed to protect the juveniles. The colors fade to brown and the ornate decorations disappear as they mature. The adults look nothing like the juveniles. Dragon wrasses are found throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans. They grow to a maximum length of 12 inches (30 centimeters).