Green Wrasse - Labrus viridis - Sheltering beneath a Rocky Ledge

A Green Wrasse rests beneath a rocky ledge, its muted green-brown colouring blending closely with the Mediterranean seabed.

The Green Wrasse (Labrus viridis) has an elongated, robust body with a pointed snout, thick lips and a long continuous dorsal fin. Its colour is highly variable, ranging from bright green in some individuals to olive, brownish-green or darker tones; younger fish may show a pale longitudinal stripe along the sides. It lives mainly around rocky reefs, boulder fields and the edges of seagrass beds, where its colouring provides effective camouflage. The species occurs throughout the Mediterranean and parts of the eastern Atlantic and Black Sea and can reach about 47 centimetres in standard length.