Thalassoma purpureum

Surge Wrasse

As recorded: Thalassoma purpureum (Forsskål, 1775)

Animalia › Chordata › Perciformes › Labridae

Collected by: J.E. Randall, G.W. Tribble, R.P.H. Rutherford, L.G. Eldredge, and R. RandallLucius G. Eldredge III →Johnson Randall →Richard H. Randall →R.P.H. Rutherford →G.W. Tribble →
Date: July 12, 1978
Locality: Taiwan; E coast; island off San-Shien-Tai (N of Cheng Kung); rocky shore on S side
Island: Taiwan
Depth: 1 m
Record type: Preserved specimen

76 Bishop specimens of Thalassoma purpureum · collected 1900–1996Species page ›

Collected the same day

On July 12, 1978, J.E. Randall, G.W. Tribble, R.P.H. Rutherford, L.G. Eldredge, and R. Randall also collected 24+ other specimens.

Thalassoma purpureum observed alive

This specimen was collected in 1978. Since 2000, iNaturalist observers have recorded 916 research-grade sightings in the wild, most recently on 2026-10-27.

2026-10-27

Cockburn, WA, Australia

(c) Alex Fox, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)

2026-10-21

Isabela, EC-GA, EC

(c) Kaveer B, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

2026-10-19

North Pacific Ocean, Pūpūkea, HI, US

(c) thegeckoguy907, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

2026-10-16

North Shore, Waialua, HI, USA

(c) Sam Buswell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

2026-10-16

Green Island/Nancy Cove, Rottnest Island

(c) duffelbag, some rights reserved (CC BY)

2026-10-15

Little Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island

(c) duffelbag, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Observations and photos from iNaturalist, shown only when openly licensed.

Cite this specimen

Thalassoma purpureum. BPBM 23251. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu. GBIF occurrence 39119095. Accessed via explore.bishopmuseum.org/specimens/i/23251.

Record sources

GBIF occurrence 39119095 ↗
Data license: CC0
Last harvested October 26, 2026