WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Azores Wrasse

Symphodus caeruleus

Also known as: Atlantic Wrasse, Azorean Blue Wrasse, Blue Wrasse, Emerald Wrasse, Small-mouthed Wrasse

Adult
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Overview

Found singly or in harems, over shallow, inshore, rocky reefs, rich in algae cover. Varies in colour, males especially have a blue colour when nesting.
Northeast Atlantic - Azores Islands, Canary Islands, Madeira

Most reef fish seen by divers during the day, are grazers, they cruise around, just above the surface of the coral, or snoop into crevices, foraging for food.
Wrasses have small protruding teeth, which they use to graze the bottom, taking in a variety of algae, crustaceans, such as crabs, eggs, shrimps, snails and worms. Any hard coats or thick shells, are then ground down by their pharyngeal jaws, and the delicacies inside digested.
From juvenile to adult, wrasses dramatically alter their colour and body shapes.
Wrasses are always on the go during the day, but are the first to go to bed and the last to rise.
Small wrasses dive below the sand to sleep, and larger wrasses wedge themselves in crevices.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Northeast Atlantic
LIVES IN

Found singly or in harems, over shallow, inshore, rocky reefs, rich in algae cover.

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Adult photos 0

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyLabridae
    6. genusSymphodus
    7. speciesSymphodus caeruleus (Azevedo, 1999)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Wrasses (Labridae)