Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis)

Scientific name: Coris julis Linnaeus, 1758

The Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. In the aquarium it needs water at 18–22°C (64–72°F).

Mediterranean rainbow wrasse care at a glance

Temperature: 18–22°C (64–72°F)

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11 - 12. Snout with 4-6 cephalic pores. Spiny rays flexible. No scales on head and on base of dorsal and anal fins. Vertebrae 25-26. Males: first 3 dorsal rays elongated, with an orange or red and black spot. Along the flanks, a- longitudinal zigzag orange or red stripe. Females and juveniles: a longitudinal large whitish stripe along flanks, a mid-longitudinal zigzag, dark brown stripe.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Coris julis
Family: Labridae (Wrasses)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 30.0
Common length: 20.0
Depth range: 0–120 m (0–394 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 120 m, usually 1 - 60 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: Sweden to south of Cape Lopez, Gabon. Also known from the Mediterranean Sea. Specimen of Coris from Cape Verde and Senegal southward are probably Coris atlantica, here still treated as a junior synonym pending a definite publication of validity.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.11; tm=1)