Labrus

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Labrus
Temporal range: Eocene–Recent
Labrus mixtus, Mindlandet, Tjotta, 18, NO imported from iNaturalist photo 403800737 (cropped).jpg
Cuckoo wrasse (L. mixtus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Labrus
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Labrus mixtus
Synonyms [2]

Labrus is a genus of wrasses native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean into the Mediterranean and Black seas. [3]

Contents

Biology

Like most wrasses, Labrus species are protogynous, and can undergo sex change from female to male. The form of protogyny differs between species, e.g., Labrus bergylta is monandric (all fish are born female but can develop into males), while Labrus mixtus is diandric (individuals can be born either male or female, and females can develop into males). [4] L. mixtus is sexually dimorphic in colouration, while L. bergylta is not. [5] [4]

Species

The four currently recognized species in this genus are: [3]

SpeciesCommon nameTerminal phase
Labrus bergylta

Ascanius, 1767

Ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta Brest.jpg
Labrus merula

Linnaeus, 1758

brown wrasse Labrus merula, Pyrenees-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon, FR imported from iNaturalist photo 131803023 (cropped).jpg
Labrus mixtus

Linnaeus, 1758

cuckoo wrasse Labrus mixtus, Tysvaer, Norwegen imported from iNaturalist photo 219389574 (cropped).jpg
Labrus viridis

Linnaeus, 1758

green wrasse Labrus viridis France (cropped).jpg

Fossil record

Fossil of Labrus valenciennesii Labridae - Labrus valencennesii.JPG
Fossil of Labrus valenciennesii

Fossils of Labrus are found from the Eocene to the Quaternary (age range: from 55.8 to 0.781 million years ago.). They are known from various localities of France, Italy and the United Kingdom. [6]

References

  1. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Labrus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  2. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Labridae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  3. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Labrus". FishBase . August 2013 version.
  4. 1 2 Dipper, F. A.; Pullin, R. S. V. (1979). "Gonochorism and sex-inversion in British Labridae (Pisces)" . Journal of Zoology. 187 (1): 97–112. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1979.tb07716.x. ISSN   1469-7998.
  5. Villegas-Ríos, David; Alonso-Fernández, Alexandre; Domínguez-Petit, Rosario; Saborido-Rey, Fran (2013). "Intraspecific variability in reproductive patterns in the temperate hermaphrodite fish, Labrus bergylta" . Marine and Freshwater Research. 64 (12): 1156. doi:10.1071/MF12362. ISSN   1323-1650.
  6. Paleobiology Database