Depth
Centrolabrus · Bony Fish

Black-tailed Wrasse

Centrolabrus melanocercus

5 - 50 m
Depth Range
18 cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
5 - 50 m
Depth Range
18 cm
Max Size
Rocky Reefs
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Moderate
Sighting Likelihood
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
GenusCentrolabrus
Speciesmelanocercus

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationSmall wrasse with an elongated body. Males show a dark tail with blue-green body and orange to red markings. Females are brownish with lighter flanks. Pointed snout.
  • SizeUp to 16 cm total length, commonly 8 to 12 cm.
  • Social HabitUsually solitary or found in pairs. Stays close to rocky cover and rarely strays into open water.
  • HabitatRocky reefs with dense algal growth and seagrass meadow edges. Prefers areas with plenty of crevices.
  • Depth2 to 50 m, most common between 5 and 25 m.
  • Feeds OnSmall invertebrates including crustaceans, molluscs, and worms picked from rock surfaces and algae.
  • DistributionMediterranean Sea and adjacent Atlantic coast from Portugal to Morocco.
  • DescriptionA shy and delicate wrasse that hugs rocky cover and is often missed by divers moving quickly. Males are beautifully coloured but small enough to be overlooked. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, starting life as a female and potentially transitioning to male.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found on rocky reefs and Posidonia meadow borders from 5 to 50 m depth throughout the Mediterranean. Prefers areas where rocky substrate meets seagrass, providing both shelter and foraging territory.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Rocky reefs adjacent to or interspersed with Posidonia oceanica meadows. Favours areas with mixed substrate offering plenty of shelter among rocks and crevices alongside seagrass patches.

Encounter Tips

Search along the borders between rocky reef and Posidonia meadows at 10 to 30 m depth. Often seen swimming slowly among rocks and seagrass. The dark tail is the quickest identification feature.

Black-tailed Wrasse species card

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Centrolabrus melanocercus may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red ListLeast Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
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