This is the largest wrasse in New Zealand waters. It is a moderately deep-bodied fish of variable colouring, young being reddish-brown mottled with green and orange, whilst adults are green-brown tinged with purple with indistinct yellowish vertical bars on the body and fins. Juveniles are mottled reddish brown with yellow speckles.

Found on rocky reefs. More abundant in the South.

Is a selective forager which prefers to feed on small, hard-shelled animals like crabs and gastropods. They can also crush and eat molluscs, crabs, and sea urchins. Size-specific changes in their diets occur: Small fish (100-180 mm) eat mostly amphipods and isopods, whereas larger fish (> 180 mm) eat mainly bivalves, crabs, and gastropods.

Banded parrotfish are asynchronous (not controlled by an environmental cue) spawners. Males very territorial and court passing females by displaying their dorsal and anal fins, their spots and bands also become brighter.

A Treasury of New Zealand Fishes: Graham
Russell, B.C., 1988. Revision of the labrid fish genus Pseudolabrus and allied genera. Rec. Aust. Mus. (Suppl. 9):1-72.