Blackedge Thicklip - Hemigymnus melapterus
The Blackedge Thicklip has quite a few common names. Banner Wrasse, Half and Half Wrasse and Blackeye Thicklip are a few. The fish inhabits the Indo-Pacific region including the Red Sea and East Africa to Micronesia and Samoa then east to Polynesia.
They change color and sex with growth. They can be either male or female but later the females are able to change sex into brightly colored male phase.
As they grow Larger they move towards deeper water. They feed on invertebrates, polychaete worms, mollusks and brittle stars. They younger fish start of eating demersal planktonic crustaceans and later switch over to hard-shelled invertebrates.
There is a minor commercial fishery, some sportfishing and aquarium trade but they are hard to keep alive in captivity.