Thalassoma pavo - Donzella pavonina
Thalassoma pavo Linnaeus, 1758, also known by the common name Ornate Wrasse, is a salt water fish belonging to the Labridae family. Thalassoma pavo Donzella pavonina labridae intotheblue.it
Distribution and habitat
It is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Portugal to the coasts of Senegal. It lives shallow shallow depths, well illuminated, up to 30 meters, even if it goes up to 100. In recent years there has been a widening north of the range of this species, probably following the Southernization of the Mediterranean Sea.
Description
Tapered body, golden yellow, tending to green or orange, with typical reticular designs on the head of blue color, 5 vertical stripes of the same color, a black spot between the second and third band. When young the body is completely green, except for the black patch. Protagonogical hermaphrodite, born a female and after a few years becomes a male, gradually changing the color up to lose all the blue bands and the black spot when adult. Up to 25 centimeters.
Biology
Behavior Curious, it is easily attracted by removing sediment from the bottom. The female specimens often move in large groups. Sometimes younger specimens feed on external parasites of larger fish, cleaning them.
Supply It feeds on molluscs and crustaceans. Thalassoma pavo Donzella pavonina labridae intotheblue.it
Reproduction It is oviparous and protogynous hermaphrodite.
Predators One of its main predators is the Mediterranean barracuda.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornate_wrasse
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalassoma_pavo