Napoleon fish - Cheilinus undulatus

Napoleon fish or commonly called by the name of Napoleon Wrasse, is a species of the family Labridae. This fish is most often referred to by the trade name Humphead, Maori Wrasse ataui so May due to the characteristics of the head protruding from the eye to the back. However, these characteristics are shared by a family member Scaridae species, namely parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum).

Napoleon one reef fish are relatively long life time. These fish are able to live to the age of 30 years with body size capable of reaching over 229 cm with a weight of 190 kg individual. These fish include sequential hermaphrodite fish species. He has a particular sex early in life then the gender change with increasing age. This leads to the dominance of the population are male napoleon on small to medium size then turn into the female population when will mature gonads. This is a unique phenomenon in nature, is a strategy to support the existence living things in nature.

Napoleon fish meat is white and very tasty famous, it makes this fish is very expensive appreciated. The fish price reached USD 100 kg. Costly trade this fish is one of the causes of the fish population is much reduced in nature.

Napoleon fish known takes the crown of thorns or a crown- of- thorn, Acanthaster planci where these animals have a very big appetite for coral polyps. Acanthaster planci is an organism of the phylum Echinodermata, Asterozoa subphylum, class Asteroidea, orders and families Acanthasteridae Valvatida. The existence of thorny crown very easily estimated from the spot on coral bleaching. Another specialty of this thorny crown star is capable of vegetative division. If we cut the body from the crown of thorn, the pieces of the body into a new individual capable and able to lead the attack doubled. One individual can prey on thorny crown of coral reef area of ​​6 m2 within a year.

Napoleon fish are believed researchers often consume eggs crown of thorns. So the fish is expressed as a key stone species. If the number is reduced, there will be a population explosion of the crown of thorns. This will result in the destruction of coral reefs in very broad.