The colouration and its behavioural significance in the corkwing wrasse,Crenilabrus melops

The colour patterns of the corkwing wrasse Crenilabrus melops and the functional significance of these patterns has been described. The resting colours of the fish are described for juveniles, mature males and mature females. These colour patterns assist in making the fish less conspicuous in their natural environment. Agonist behaviour is characterized by the development of a series of vertical bars on the body together with ritualized lateral and frontal displays in aggressive, and a head-up submissive posture in fright situations. Most aggressive behaviour is associated with the territorial activity of the mature male. Courtship and spawning activities involve a complex series of visual signals that synchronize the roles played by the male and female. The differences in colouration between juvenile and mature fish and the changes any individual can display have wrongly lead earlier authors to split C. melops into different species or varieties.