mediterranean rainbow wrasse
Coris julis
Colorful wrasse of the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It is not known from the South American coast, although Argentina and Uruguay are listed among the species' countries. It has records from recreational fishing.
Also called: bodião-arco-íris, doncella, julia, mediterranean rainbow wrasse
- maximum
- 30 cm
- depth
- 1–60 m
who is the mediterranean rainbow wrasse
Wrasse of the family Labridae, with an elongated body and bright colors, living near rocks and seagrass meadows in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, from Sweden to Gabon. It is not known from South America, although Argentina and Uruguay appear on the list of countries. It reaches 30 cm and lives mostly between 1 and 60 m deep, deeper in winter. It feeds on small snails, sea urchins, shrimp, worms, isopods and amphipods, and sometimes buries itself in sand at night or when frightened. It has records from recreational fishing and a small commercial fishery, and is sold for aquariums.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the mediterranean rainbow wrasse.
fun facts
- Females change into males, and all specimens over 18 cm are males.
identification
Males have the front of the dorsal fin elongated, with an orange and black spot, and an orange or red zigzag stripe on the flanks. Females and juveniles have a broad pale band along the flanks and a dark zigzag stripe in the middle of the body. The head has no scales, nor do the bases of the dorsal and anal fins.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
The species lives in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, from Sweden to Gabon, and is not known from South America. Argentina and Uruguay are on the list of countries of occurrence, but fall outside the described range.
Habitat: Coastal zone, near rocks and seagrass meadows, 1 to 60 m deep.
rules for the mediterranean rainbow wrasse
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has spines in its fins, but it is not dangerous to anglers. Handle it with wet hands so as not to remove the mucus from its skin.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00851, b = 3.06; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Coris julis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Coris julisNames by country and language.