Goldsinny wrasse

Description

The goldsinny wrasse can reach a total length of 18 cm,{{cite encyclopedia |author1 = Picton, B.E. | author2 = Morrow, C.C. | name-list-style = amp | year = 2016 | title = Ctenolabrus rupestris (Linnaeus, 1758) | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland | url = http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=ZG6050 | publisher = National Museums of Northern Ireland | access-date = 2020-01-05}}

Distribution

The goldsinny wrasse is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway south as far as Morocco. It is also found throughout the western and central Mediterranean Sea as far as Antalya in Turkey, but it is absent from the far eastern Mediterranean. It extends through the Sea of Marmara into the Black Sea.

Habitat and biology

The goldsinny wrasse is normally found in areas dominated by rock or by boulders and requires there to be many crevices for it to hide in. It is most frequently recorded at depths of between 10-50 m but it is infrequently recorded in rockpools near the low water mark. Their diet consists of bryozoan, small crustaceans and molluscs. it is often associated with beds of algae and eelgrass. These wrasses attain maturity at two years of age, with the life span being up to eight years, and they do not display sexual dimorphism. spawning takes place from the winter into summer. When breeding the males defend territories. Spawning happens in mid water and when the pelagic eggs hatch the larvae are planktonic.

Human uses

The goldsinny wrasse is fond of sea lice and has been used to clean salmon in commercial farms together with the Ballan wrasse. Both these wrasses are not easy to retain in the salmon farms, as they escape through the nets, being significantly smaller than the salmon. This species is caught as a food fish by local indigenous peoples and is popular as a game fish. It is also a popular fish for display in public aquaria.

References

References

1. Pollard, D.. (2010). "''Ctenolabrus rupestris''".
2. {{FishBase. (2013)
3. Reeds, K.A.. (2004). "''Ctenolabrus rupestris'' Goldsinny". Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom..