Ornate wrasse

Biology

The ornate wrasse is a fish of brilliant colours, typical of tropical fishes. In fact, it is the only representative in Portuguese waters of the genus Thalassoma, common in tropical areas. It swims actively in rocky areas and in seagrass meadows. It feeds on small molluscs and crustaceans, and the juveniles sometimes eat parasites off other fish, cleaning them. It is also found near man-made structures such as shipwrecks and jetties.

Curiosities

It is a hermaphroditic species, in which some females change sex. The new males, solitary and extremely territorial, dominate the others, including those who were originally born male.