Labrus mixtus is a medium size wrasse living in rocky areas in Atlantic waters.

Description

The male

Male

Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...

 and female

Female

Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...

 have different colouration.

The male colouration changes during the breeding season. At the start the head is blue with a blue body and orange pattern and blue tail. The body colouration gradually changes to an orange head and body with a blue pattern that may is more pronounced at the head.

The female has an orange head, body and tail with a black stripe on the dorsal fin

Dorsal fin

A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...

broken up by a number of white spots.

The female has the ability to change sex when there are no males present in the area.

Additional Images

Click on>images for higher resolution align=center" style="border:1px solid silver;" |> Female Cuckoo Wrasse	align=center" style="border:1px solid silver;" |>
Male Cuckoo Wrasse in late summer