greenband wrasse
Halichoeres bathyphilus
Wrasse of deep reefs of the western Atlantic, between 27 and 190 m. It is sold for aquariums and rarely reaches the fishing line.
Also called: bodião-de-faixa-verde, doncella cintaverde, doncella de fondo, greenband wrasse
- maximum
- 23 cm
- depth
- 27–190 m
who is the greenband wrasse
Wrasse of the family Labridae, with an elongated body, reaching 23 cm and living on deep reefs between 27 and 190 m. It occurs in the western Atlantic, from North Carolina and Bermuda to the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and Yucatán, Mexico, and also at Margarita Island, Venezuela. Brazilian records attributed to it refer to another species, Halichoeres sazimai. It is sold as an ornamental fish. Because it lives deep, it is hardly caught on rod and reel, and has small commercial use.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the greenband wrasse.
identification
Wrasse with an elongated body, typical of the family Labridae. Its common name points to a green band on the body. It lives on deep reefs, from 27 m, which helps tell it apart from the shallow wrasses of the same region. It reaches 23 cm. In the field, reef depth and small size are the safest clues.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela, on deep reefs of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Records from Brazil refer to another species, Halichoeres sazimai.
Habitat: Deep reefs, between 27 and 190 m deep.
rules for the greenband wrasse
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It comes from depth, so a rapid ascent can cause barotrauma. If it reaches the line, release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00977, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Halichoeres bathyphilus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Halichoeres bathyphilusNames by country and language.