Dragon Wrasse

The genus "Novaculichthys", in Latin Novacula means razor, and ikhthús in Greek, means fish., while the specific name "taeniourus" from Greek tainía means ribbon, and oura means tail.

They are widely distributed in tropical Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean reefs and lagoons.

Although little is known about reproduction of these fish, like other wrasses, they probably are able to change sex and are pelagic spawners, broadcasting eggs and sperm into the water column.

These fish are highly territorial and pairs of adults often protect large areas of reef. The fish feed on benthic invertebrates including molluscs, crabs and polychaete worms. One fish turns or shifts large pieces of debris or rubble, grabbing or pulling it with its mouth or pushing it with its snout. When the working member of the pair has revealed the prey, the other fish quickly grabs and eats it. Juveniles do not usually work in pairs, doing all the work themselves. Facing danger, these wrasses quickly dive into the sand for protection. Juveniles resemble algae and mimic the movements of detached, drifting seaweed by swaying back and forth in the currents.

In Japan, rockmover wrasses have been recorded constructing mounds made of coral fragments and sand to sleep in. Each evening, a wrasse would create a mound of sand, before topping the mound with up to 70 pieces of round or flattened coral fragments. These primarily consist of faviid corals. When moving coral fragments that are too large to be picked, the fish will drag it while swimming backwards. Shortly before sunset, the wrasse will move a few pieces of coral to open up an entrance, before diving into the mound to spend its night. File:Rockmover Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, Puako, HI, USA imported from iNaturalist photo 167880378.jpg|Young adult, in Hawaii File:Novaculichthys taeniourus. Коричневая рыба-нож.DSCF0434.webm|Moving rocks while foraging File:Cleaning station.jpg|Being attended by Hawaiian cleaner wrasses.