Corkwing wrasse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Corkwing wrasse
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Synonyms
List Labrus melops Linnaeus, 1758 Crenilabrus melops (Linnaeus, 1758) Lutjanus melops (Linnaeus, 1758) Labrus rone Ascanius, 1772 Labrus goldsinny Bonnaterre, 1788 Labrus gibbosus Bonnaterre, 1788 Labrus venosus J. F. Gmelin, 1789 Labrus gibbus J. F. Gmelin, 1789 Crenilabrus gibbus (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) Labrus cornubius J. F. Gmelin, 1789 Lutjanus norvegicus Bloch, 1791 Labrus tesselatus Bloch, 1792

The corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) is a cool type of wrasse fish. You can find it in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, all the way from Norway down to Morocco. It also lives near the Azores islands, and in the Mediterranean Sea and Adriatic Sea. These fish like to hang out in rocky areas or places with eelgrass. They usually live in water that's about 1 to 30 meters (3 to 98 feet) deep.

What Does a Corkwing Wrasse Look Like?

A drawing of a corkwing wrasse by Wilhelm von Wright.

The corkwing wrasse has a body that's quite deep and flattened from side to side. It has one long fin on its back, called a dorsal fin. Most of these fish are about 15 centimeters (6 inches) long. However, some can grow up to 25 centimeters (10 inches)!

Their color can change a lot. It depends on where the fish lives and how old it is. The corkwing wrasse has a black spot in the middle of its tail. It also has a comma-shaped spot right behind its eye. Female fish and younger fish are usually brown or greenish-brown. Male fish are often much brighter in color. Both male and female corkwing wrasse have lines on their heads and gill covers. In females, these lines are brown and pale blue. In males, they are bright green or blue.

This fish eats many different things. Its main foods are bivalves (like clams) and tiny sea creatures called copepods.

How Do Corkwing Wrasse Reproduce?

Male corkwing wrasse have two different ways of reproducing. Some males are "territorial." They build a ball-shaped nest using seaweed. They usually build these nests in rocky cracks or in areas with lots of seaweed or seagrasses. The nest has an entrance hole, and the male guards it very carefully.

Other males are called "sneaker males." These males look a lot like females. They are also much smaller than the territorial males. Sneaker males try to sneak into the nests to fertilize eggs without building their own nest. About 5 to 20% of the males in a group are typically sneaker males.

Why Are Corkwing Wrasse Important?

People have been using corkwing wrasse since 1988. They are very good at removing tiny parasites from other fish. Today, these fish are heavily used in fish farms. They help to clean salmon by eating a parasite called salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).