| Rock cook | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Centrolabrus |
| Species: | C. exoletus |
| Binomial name | |
| Centrolabrus exoletus Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
The rock cook (Centrolabrus exoletus), or small-mouthed wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the wrasse family Labridae which is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of Europe. [2]
The rock cook is a small wrasse in which the adults range in length from 10–15 centimetres (3.9–5.9 in). Its mouth is relatively small and has thick, fleshy lips. This species is normally reddish-brown above fading to yellowish-silver on the flanks and to pale silvery-white on the belly. The males have iridescent blue streaks on their dorsal, anal and caudal fins as well as on their heads. The caudal fin has a dark vertical bar. [3] There is a single row of small teeth in the jaws. [4]
The rock cook is found in the eastern Atlantic where it is endemic to European waters from Norway to Portugal. It has been claimed off eastern Greenland but these records are regarded as doubtful. It is absent from the Baltic Sea and has been observed once in the Mediterranean Sea off Málaga in 1981. [5] [1] In the waters off Britain and Ireland it is absent from the eastern English Channel and the eastern coast of England. [3]
The rock cook is found mainly among seaweeds and seagrass beds on or near rocks and boulders normally at depths of less than 25 metres (82 ft), [3] [2] although it has been claimed at depth of 35 metres (115 ft) off the United Kingdom. [1] The female creates a nest from fine seaweeds in which she lays her eggs during the summer months. [6] Its diet consists of small benthic invertebrates, especially crustaceans. [1] Males grow faster than the females, [6] by the age of 5 years old the males attain an average length of 13 centimetres (5.1 in) while the females average length is 12 centimetres (4.7 in). [7] The rock cook also acts as a cleaner fish and a study off the coast of the Algarve, Portugal found that it was the most important species of cleaner fish present in that area. It is a facultative cleaner fish which rather than maintain a territory where its client fish seek it out small groups of rock cooks actively search for client fish, primarily the brown wrasse in this study, and clean and consume crustacean ectoparasites, all from the family Gnathiidae, off the client fish. [8]
The rock cook is used in the aquaculture of the Atlantic salmon as a cleaner fish. [1]
Centrolabrus exoletus is the type species of the genus Centrolabrus . [9] It was originally formally described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th Edition of the Systema Naturae . [10]
The viviparous eelpout, also known as the, viviparous blenny and European eelpout is species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Zoarcidae, the eelpouts. It is notable for being ovoviviparous and gives birth to live larvae. It is a common soup ingredient in Mediterranean countries. The bones are of greenish colour, due to a harmless pigment. Their skin is slimy and the colour is variable.
The brownspotted grouper, also known as the brown spotted reef cod, brown-spotted rockcod, coral grouper or honeycomb cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has an Indo-Pacific distribution but in the northern Indian Ocean this distribution is discontinuous. It forms part of a species complex with two closely related species in the genus Epinephelus.
The blacktip grouper, also known as the redbanded grouper, blacktipped cod, black-tipped rockcod, footballer cod, red-barred cod, red-barred rockcod, scarlet rock-cod or weathered rock-cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. It is the type species of the genus Epinephelus.
The yellow-edged lyretail also known as the yellowedge coronation trout, fairy cod, lunar tail rock cod, lunartailed cod, lyre-tail cod or moontail seabass,, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and is more common than the congeneric white-edged lyretail.
The lesser pipefish or Nilsson's pipefish is a pipefish similar to the greater pipefish, but with no crest above the head. Usually it reaches up to 17 centimetres (6.7 in) in length, maximally 18 centimetres (7.1 in), although in South Wales they are usually not more than 10 to 13 centimetres long. They have a light to dark green-brown colour with bar-like markings on the sides.
The snowy grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Mycteroperca is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs and are found in tropical and subtropical seas in the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. They are important target species for fisheries.
The cuckoo wrasse is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Senegal, including the Azores and Madeira. It is also found in the Mediterranean Sea. They occur in weedy, rocky areas mostly between 40 and 80 m. This species is an occasional food fish for local populations but is also popular as a game fish. It is also a popular fish for display in public aquaria.
Cephalopholis taeniops, the African hind, bluespotted sea bass or spotted grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. This species occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade and is a target for local fisheries. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Terapon jarbua, the jarbua terapon, crescent grunter, crescent banded grunter, crescent perch, spiky trumpeter, thornfish or tiger perch, is a species of ray-finned fish, a grunter of the family Terapontidae. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific. it is an important commercial species within its range and is sometimes found in the aquarium trade where it is known as "target fish" for the pattern visible from above.
The six-line wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae which has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. This species is associated with coral reefs and can be found in the aquarium trade.
The slingjaw wrasse is a species of wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific where it occurs around coral reefs. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade. Relatively mundane at first glance, this fish is notable for its highly protrusible jaws.
The ornate wrasse is a species of wrasse native to the rocky coasts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries, is also popular as a game fish, and can be found in the aquarium trade.
The black scorpionfish, also known as the European scorpionfish or small-scaled scorpionfish, is a venomous scorpionfish, common in marine subtropical waters. It is widespread in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles to the Azores and Canary Islands, near the coasts of Morocco, in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
Centrolabrus is a small genus of wrasses from the family Labridae which are native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Holacanthus africanus, the Guinean angelfish or West African angelfish, is species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the warmer sections of the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa.
Diplecogaster bimaculata, the two-spotted clingfish, is a species of fish in the family Gobiesocidae found in Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean where it is found on rocks and among seagrass or shell beds.
Parexocoetus mento; also known as the African sailfin flying fish, Cuvier's flying fish, the yellow belly flying fish or the short-winged flying fish; is a species of flying fish from the family Exocoetidae which is found in the Indo-pacific region and which has colonised the eastern Mediterranean.
Pteragogus trispilus is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the wrasse family, the Labridae. It is native to the Red Sea from where it has entered the Mediterranean Sea.
Symphodus caeruleus is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is endemic to the Azores in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
