Mediterranean rainbow wrasse
Coris julis
Sighting evidence at Capo Caccia Wall, Capo Carbonara
Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC
Rainbow wrasse are one of the most immediately eye-catching fish on any Mediterranean wall — males display vivid orange body stripes and emerald markings, while initial-phase females are subtler red-brown and white. Like all members of the Labridae family they are protogynous hermaphrodites: dominant individuals transition from female to terminal-phase male. They are constantly in motion, picking parasites from other fish and gleaning invertebrates from rock surfaces — a behaviour that makes them one of the most photographed species at the site.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Mediterranean rainbow wrasse is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.