| Labrus mixtus | |
|---|---|
| Adult male cuckoo wrasse | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Suborder: | Labroidei |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Labrus |
| Species: | L. mixtus |
| Binomial name | |
| Labrus mixtus Linnaeus, 1758 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Labrus mixtus (the Cuckoo Wrasse ) is a medium size wrasse living in rocky areas in Atlantic waters.
The male and female have different colouration.
The male colouration changes during the breeding season. At the start the head is blue with a blue body and orange pattern and blue tail. The body colouration gradually changes to an orange head and body with a blue pattern that may is more pronounced at the head.
The female has an orange head, body and tail with a black stripe on the dorsal fin broken up by a number of white spots.
The female has the ability to change sex when there are no males present in the area.
|
Click on images for higher resolution
|
|||||||