Ballan wrasse

Ballan wrasse
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Labrus
Species:
L. bergylta
Binomial name
Labrus bergylta
Ascanius, 1767
Synonyms
List
  • Labrus comber Bonnaterre, 1788
  • Labrus ballan Bonnaterre, 1788
  • Labrus maculatus Bloch, 1792
  • Labrus neustriae Lacépède, 1801
  • Labrus balanus J. Fleming, 1828
  • Labrus variabilis W. Thompson, 1837
  • Crenilabrus multidentatus W. Thompson, 1837
  • Labrus reticulatus R. T. Lowe, 1839
  • Labrus donovani Valenciennes, 1839
  • Labrus nubilus Valenciennes, 1843

The ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it inhabits rocky areas. Like many wrasse species, it is a protogynous hermaphrodite—all fish start life as females, and some dominant fish later become males. It is used as a food fish in some areas and it is also finding use as a cleaner fish in the aquaculture of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in northwestern Europe.