Florent's Guide To The

French Polynesia

Surge Wrasse
Thalassoma purpureum
Surge Wrasse
Category: Wrasses
Scientific Name: Thalassoma purpureum
Size: Up to 17 in. (43 cm)  
Depth: 1-15 ft. (0-5 m)
Distribution: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, Hawaii, Australia, Pacific Coast of Panama, French Polynesia
Chordata (Phylum)
└Vertebrata (Subphylum)
 └Osteichthyes (Parvphylum)
  └Actinopterygii (Gigaclass)
   └Actinopteri (Superclass)
    └Teleostei (Class)
     └Eupercaria (Order)
      └Labridae (Family)
       └Julidinae (Subfamily)
        └Thalassoma (Genus)
         └T. purpureum (Species)

Parrotfishes & Wrasses
Wrasses

Surge Wrasse

Ladder Wrasse

Snooty Wrasse

Tripletail Wrasse

Humphead Wrasse

Slingjaw Wrasse (Terminal Phase)

Slingjaw Wrasse (Dark Initial Phase)

Slingjaw Wrasse (Yellow Initial Phase)

Twospot Wrasse

Twospot Wrasse (variation)

Ringtail Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Ringtail Wrasse (Terminal Phase)

Cigar Wrasse

Disappearing Wrasse

Sixstripe Wrasse

Eightstripe Wrasse

Fourstripe Wrasse

Whitespotted Wrasse

Yellowtail Wrasse

Yellowtail Coris (Initial Phase)

Yellowtail Coris (Terminal Phase)

Yellowtail Coris (Juvenile)

Pacific Bird Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Pacific Bird Wrasse (Terminal Phase)

Checkerboard Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Checkerboard Wrasse (Terminal Phase)

Checkerboard Wrasse (Juvenile)

Ornate Wrasse

Barred Thicklip

Blackeye Thicklip

Ring Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Pastel Ringwrasse (Juvenile)

Bicolor Cleaner Wrasse (Terminal Phase)

Bicolor Cleaner Wrasse (Juvenile Phase)

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Terminal Phase)

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Juvenile)

Leopard Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Redshoulder Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Sixbar Wrasse

Yellow-Brown Wrasse (Initial Phase)

Yellow-Brown Wrasse (Terminal Phase)



All Photographs
© 2025 Florent Charpin