Clown coris
Juvenile
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Labriformes
Family:	Labridae
Genus:	Coris
Species:	C. aygula
Binomial name
Coris aygula Lacépède, 1801
Synonyms[2]
Coris angulata Lacépède, 1801 Labrus cingulum Lacépède, 1801 Hemicoris cingulum (Lacépède, 1801) Julis cingulum (Lacépède, 1801) Labrus aureomaculatus J.W. Bennett, 1830 Julis ruppelii E. T. Bennett, 1831 Julis gibbifrons Quoy & Gaimard, 1834 Julis semipunctatus Rüppell, 1835 Julis coris Valenciennes, 1839 Coris cyanea Macleay, 1883 Coris variegata Ramsay & Ogilby, 1887 Coris imbris Tanaka, 1918

The clown coris (Coris aygula), also known as the clown wrasse, false clownwrasse, humphead wrasse, hump-headed wrasse, red-blotched rainbowfish or twinspot wrasse,^[3] is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

This species can reach a total length of 120 cm (47 in). A marked difference in appearance is noted between juveniles and adults; juveniles are white and orange with false eyes on the dorsal fin, while adults are uniformly dark green or with light banding and developing a prominent forehead.^[2]

C. aygula is an inhabitant of coral reefs where they prefer areas of sand or rubble at depths from 2 to 30 m (6.6 to 98.4 ft). They are generally solitary as adults, while juveniles can often be found in tide pools.^[2]

This species can be found from the Red Sea and the African coast eastward to the Line Islands and Ducie Island and from southern Japan to Lord Howe Island.^[2]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coris aygula.

• Photos of Clown coris on Sealife Collection