Bird wrasse
Gomphosus varius
Green Wrasse
Labrus viridis
About
The green wrasse is a plump, bright-coloured fish of rocky Mediterranean reefs, often seen alone or in pairs weaving between rocks and seagrass. It grows to about 47 cm, though most seen are closer to 30 cm.
Also known as: Mediterranean green wrasse
- Length
- 30 cm · max 47 cm
- Depth
- up to 50 m
How to tell it apart
Its bright green colour and blue side line separate it from most other Mediterranean wrasses, though darker or spotted individuals can look similar to other species. The humped back and thick lips help confirm a green wrasse when the colour is unclear.
Appearance
This is a chunky fish with a slightly humped back, a large head, big eyes, and thick lips over a small mouth full of teeth. Its large scales give the skin a smooth, soft look. Most are bright green with a blue line along the side, though some individuals are almost black and others are spotted.
Habitat
It lives around rocky reefs covered in seaweed and in seagrass meadows, from Portugal and Morocco through the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. It is usually found close to the rocks it shelters among, down to about 50 m deep.
Is it dangerous?
harmless
Conservation
Listed as Vulnerable. It is uncommon and its population is falling, especially in the western Mediterranean, due to fishing, including spearfishing, and the loss of the seagrass meadows it depends on.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
