Goniistius rubrolabiatus
Streaked reef fish logged mostly in Western Australia, comfortable in 17.7 to 23.6C water and seen year-round on temperate reefs.
Grows to around 16 cm, with a slim, deep-bodied shape and bold dark horizontal stripes running along a pale grey-brown body. The name-giving feature is the reddish tinge around the mouth, worth checking for at close range since the striping alone is shared with several relatives. Often seen hovering close to rock or reef structure rather than out in open water.
Usually spotted cruising slowly along rocky reef faces and under ledges, sticking fairly close to structure rather than schooling in open water. Divers most often log it as an uncommon but reliable find rather than something that swarms a site, and it tends to keep a cautious distance without bolting for cover the moment it notices you.
Its family, the morwongs (Latridae), are bottom-feeding specialists that use fleshy lips to work over sand and rock crevices for small invertebrates, which is likely why the reddish lip colour stands out so clearly underwater.
Sighting data does not show a concentrated season, and the observed temperature range of 17.7 to 23.6C spans the cooler and warmer ends of WA's temperate diving calendar, so it turns up on dives year-round.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Almost every logged sighting comes from Australia, with Western Australia standing out as the stronghold for this species. If you are diving the temperate reefs of WA, this is one of the striped reef fish you are most likely to run into among the rocky ledges and gutters.
Mapping where Redlip Morwong is logged…
Sightings are concentrated in Australia, particularly Western Australia, where it turns up regularly on temperate rocky reef dives.
There is no strong seasonal pattern in the sighting data, and its comfortable temperature range of 17.7 to 23.6C covers most of the year on WA reefs, so it can be seen year-round.
Look for a slim, striped reef fish around 16 cm long with dark horizontal bands and a reddish tint around the mouth. It is usually seen close to rock structure rather than in open water.
They typically reach around 16 cm in length, making them a modestly sized reef fish rather than a standout large species.
No, they pose no danger to divers and are simply calm reef fish to watch and photograph at a respectful distance.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
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