saltwater
Corkwing Wrasse
Symphodus melops
Elongated, slightly compressed body with a small mouth and thick lips. Coloration is highly variable depending on sex, age, and breeding condition, often ranging from greenish-brown to orange with dark vertical bands and characteristic blue-green markings on the head and gill covers.…
- Habitat
- Inshore marine waters, typically found in rocky coastal…
- Size & weight
- Usually measures between 10 to 20 cm in length, with a m…
- Diet
- Carnivorous, feeding primarily on small benthic inverteb…
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Physical characteristics
Elongated, slightly compressed body with a small mouth and thick lips. Coloration is highly variable depending on sex, age, and breeding condition, often ranging from greenish-brown to orange with dark vertical bands and characteristic blue-green markings on the head and gill covers. It features a distinctive dark spot on the tail base.
Habitat & distribution
Inshore marine waters, typically found in rocky coastal areas, tide pools, and dense kelp or seaweed beds from the intertidal zone down to depths of around 30 meters.
Behavior
Solitary and territorial, particularly during the breeding season. Diurnal, being active during daylight hours and resting near the bottom or in crevices at night.
Diet
Carnivorous, feeding primarily on small benthic invertebrates including crabs, barnacles, mollusks, and amphipods, utilizing its strong teeth to crush hard shells.
Reproduction
Males build nests using algae and seaweed in shallow rocky areas during the spring and summer breeding season. They vigorously defend the nest and care for the eggs until they hatch.
Ecological role
Acts as an important mesopredator controlling invertebrate populations in coastal kelp forests and rocky reefs. Some wrasse species also act as cleaner fish removing parasites from other marine life.
Similar species
Other wrasse species such as the Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus) or Ballan Wrasse (Labrus bergylta). The Corkwing can be distinguished by the dark spot on the upper base of its tail and the specific blue-green reticulations on its head.
Identification tips
Look for the dark spot on the caudal peduncle (tail base) and the distinctive blue-green facial markings, combined with a relatively deep, compressed body and thick lips.
Interesting facts
Like many other wrasses, Corkwing Wrasse are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning individuals start their lives as females and some larger individuals later change sex to become males.