Mediterranean rainbow wrasse

The Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis) is a small, colourful fish in the family Labridae. It can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Sweden to Senegal (though it is a rare wanderer to the southern British Isles).[3][2] Records of this species south from Senegal and the Cape Verde Islands are actually the closely related Coris atlantica.[2]

Mediterranean rainbow wrasse
Male in the coast of Cape Palos (Spain)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Coris
Species:
C. julis
Binomial name
Coris julis
Synonyms[2]
  • Labrus julis Linnaeus, 1758
  • Julis julis (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Labrus paroticus Linnaeus, 1758
  • Labrus perdica Forsskål, 1775
  • Labrus infuscus Walbaum, 1792
  • Labrus subfuscus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
  • Labrus keslik Lacépède, 1801
  • Labrus cettii Rafinesque, 1810
  • Labrus giofredi Risso, 1810
  • Julis mediterranea Risso, 1827
  • Julis speciosa Risso, 1827
  • Coris speciosa (Risso, 1827)
  • Julis vulgaris J. Fleming, 1828
  • Julis melanura R. T. Lowe, 1839
  • Julis festiva =Valenciennes, 1839
  • Coris festiva (Valenciennes, 1839)
  • Julis vulgaris Valenciennes, 1839
  • Coris taeniatus Steindachner, 1863
  • Julis azorensis Fowler, 1919

It feeds on amphipods, isopods, sea urchins, polychaete, shrimps, and small gastropods.[2]

Description
Female near Livorno (Mediterranean population)

Like many wrasses, C. julis is a sequential hermaphrodite: all start in the smaller initial phase. These initial-phase individuals (both females and males) can turn into the larger secondary-phase males.[4] At a length of about 18 cm (7.1 in), all individuals are secondary-phase males.[2] The maximum length for the species is 25 cm (9.8 in). There is a marked difference in the appearance of the two phases. In the Mediterranean Sea, the secondary-phase male is green, blue, or brown, with white belly, a dark blue spot over the ventral fin, and a bright orange band on the side, while the smaller primary-phase females and males are brown with yellowish sides and white bellies.[5] Populations in the Atlantic differ in colour and genetics from the Mediterranean population, but are maintained in a single species at present.[1][4] If found to be separate, the scientific name Coris festiva (at present considered a synonym of C. julis) is available for the Atlantic population.

Habitat

It is typically found near the shore in places with seagrass or rocks. It is usually found at depths of 0–60 m (0–197 ft), but occurs as deep as 120 m (390 ft).[2]

References
  1. Pollard, D.; Afonso, P. (2010). "Coris julis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T187752A8621739. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187752A8621739.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Coris julis" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
  3. Dr Amanda Young. "Wrasse (British Seas)". British Marine Life Study Society. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  4. Aurelle, D., Guillemaud, T., Afonso, P., Morato, T., Wirtz, P., Santos, R.S.S., and Cancela, M.L. (2003). Genetic study of Coris julis (Osteichthyes, Perciformes, Labridae) evolutionary history and dispersal abilities. Comptes Rendus Biologies 326(8): 771-785.
  5. Egidio Patrick Louisy Trainito, ed. (2006). Guida all'identificazione dei pesci marini d'Europa e del Mediterraneo. Milan: Il Castello. ISBN 88-8039-472-X.
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