Stats

Lifespan: Up to ~10 yrs
Size: Small
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: School
Biome: Rocky reef
Range: Eastern Atlantic
Movement: Swimming
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Speed
Status: Uncommon

About

The Ornate Wrasse inhabits rocky reefs in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, where terminal-phase males flash a vivid green body with an orange-red head. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite — females can fully transform into males, swapping their cryptic brown patterning for brilliant nuptial colours.

Life cycle

1.
hatchling fry
A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3.
adult
Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Thalassoma
Species: Thalassoma pavo