Señorita Wrasse

Oxyjulis californica

The senorita (Oxyjulis californica) is a small, cigar-shaped wrasse reaching about 25 cm, endemic to the eastern Pacific from central California to Baja California. It is brownish to bronze with a pale belly and a distinctive dark spot at the base of the tail. As the primary cleaner fish in California kelp forests, it establishes cleaning stations where larger fish visit to have parasites removed. It is extremely active, darting constantly among kelp fronds and reef structure. The species sleeps buried in sand at night, and is one of the most commonly encountered fish by divers in Southern California kelp forests.