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On the presence of a well-established population of Symphodus
melops (Linnaeus, 1758) in the central Mediterranean Sea with
notes on its habitat and ecology
Francesco TIRALONGO 1, 2* and Santo TIRNETTA3
1 Ente Fauna Marina Mediterranea, Avola, Italy
2 Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania,
Catania, Italy
3 Sciacca Full Immersion, Sciacca, Italy
*Corresponding author: fra.tiralongo@hotmail.it
The presence of a well-established population of the corkwing wrasse, Symphodus melops (Lin-
naeus, 1758), is reported for the first time from the central Mediterranean Sea (southwestern Sic-
ily). We discuss about the presence of the species in the area, with notes on its habitat, ecology and
distribution.
Key words: Labridae, Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea, uncommon species, new record
ISSN: 0001-5113
AADRAY
ACTA ADRIAT.,
59(2): 219 - 224, 2018
SHORT COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
The family Labridae, with more than 500
described species, is one of the largest and most
morphologically and ecologically diversified
fish families in the world (PARENTI & RANDALL,
2000; HANEL et al., 2002; NELSON, 2006). Labrids
are common shallow-water species and occur
in a great variety of habitats (sand and rock,
sand, coral reefs, rocky reefs, seagrass and
seaweed beds) throughout tropical, subtropi-
cal and temperate marine waters of the world
(CARPENTER & NIEM, 2001). Protogyny, in which
a specimen begins reproductive life as female
and then later may switch to male, is the most
common reproductive strategy among Labridae
(WARNER, 1975). Symphodus melops (Linnaeus,
1758), commonly known as corkwing wrasse,
is a northeast Atlantic species known from Nor-
way to northern Morocco, including the Baltic
Sea, UK, Ireland and Azores Islands. It is also
reported from the western and central Mediter-
ranean Sea (QUIGNARD & PRAS, 1986; FISCHER et
al., 1987; LANFRANCO, 1996). Other records come
from the Adriatic and the Aegean Seas (BILE-
CENOGLU et al., 2014). This species is similar in
morphology, color and size to Symphodus rois-
sali, from which it can be distinguished by the
presence of a bean-like dark spot behind the eye
(COSTA, 1991). Adult males show brighter colors
than females and are nest builders (COSTA, 1991);
during the breeding season, they show irregular
blue and orange lines on the head and irregular
spots of the same colors (more or less marked)
on body and fins (with the exception of the
pectoral fins). Mature females show a dark blue
DOI:10.32582/aa.59.2.7.
220 ACTA ADRIATICA, 59 (2): 219 - 224, 2018
urogenital papilla. In Italy (and, in general, in
the Mediterranean Sea), where the species is
considered rare and never abundant, no tar-
geted studies have been carried out yet to better
understand the ecology and factors affecting the
distribution and abundance of the species. Here
we report the presence of a well-established
population of S. melops along the southwestern
coast of Sicily, providing the first records of the
species in the area, and notes about its habitat,
ecology and distribution.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The specimens of S. melops were observed
during SCUBA dives at six localities along the
southwestern coast of Sicily, in the area extend-
ing from Mazara del Vallo to Sciacca, for about
50 Km of coastline (Fig. 1): Capo Feto (37.65756
N, 12.53819 E), Capo Granitola (37.58233
N, 12.64684 E), Capo San Marco (37.49884
N, 13.01500 E and 37.49967 N, 13.01122 E),
Contrada Foggia (37.49701 N, 13.04389 E) and
Sovareto (37.49991 N, 13.10720 E).
All observations were made in 2017, from
March to October. A total of 10 SCUBA dives
were carried out at depths ranging from 0 to 20
m. For each observation of the species, we reg-
istered the following data: number of specimens,
habitat, depth and other fish species present
in the same habitat. Several specimens were
photographed (Fig. 2) in order to show the live
coloration of S. melops.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
With the exception of a single specimen
observed at less than 1 meter depth among
boulders, small groups of 5–6 specimens of
different size and sex (Fig. 2A-D) of S. melops
were observed at each dive in all the locali-
ties. All specimens were observed between
0.5 and 10 m depth, among blocks of the pier
and over mixed bottoms (sand and rocks) near
Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile mead-
ows. At Capo San Marco, S. melops specimens
were observed more frequently swimming with
other Symphodus species (Symphodus tinca and
Symphodus roissali) (Fig. 2F). In this location,
the species was also observed sharing crevices
with S. tinca. In three cases, it was observed the
cleaning interaction between the cleaner wrasse
(Symphodus melanocercus) and S. melops (Fig.
2E). Symphodus melops, compared to the other
Symphodus species present in the area, is not
easy to approach and tend to swim away quite
fast from divers. From our observations, it can
be suggested that S. melops prefers very shallow
waters (from 0.5 m to about 10 m depth), among
boulders of the pier and over mixed bottoms
(sand and rocks), near P. oceanica meadows.
In these habitats, in almost all cases, this gre-
garious species was observed in small groups
of 5-6 specimens of different size and sex, often
swimming or interacting with other Symphodus
species, such as S. roissali, S. tinca and S. mel-
anocercus. In late spring, mature males were
observed building their nests of seaweed among
rocks. Symphodus melops appears to be a spe-
cies that tends to swim away when approached
by divers. This, together with the fact that the
species can be easily confused and misidentified
by non-experts with S. roissali (and probably
with other similar species, such as S. tinca),
could lead to the underestimation of presence
and abundance of S. melops. In the area of study,
the presence of the species was first recorded by
Fig. 1. The black line (indicated by the arrow) indicates the
study area in the central Mediterranean Sea (southwe-
stern coast of Sicily)
221
Tiralongo et al.:On the presence of a well-established population of Symphodus melops (Linnaeus, 1758) ...
the exception of the Adriatic Sea (in particular
the northern part) (FROESE & PAULY, 2018), S.
melops currently appears to be generally rare.
However, recently, the species was observed
and photographically documented in the north-
ern Tyrrhenian Sea (Baruffa, pers. comm.): San
Felice Circeo - a specimen was observed on 31th
August 2015, at a depth of 1 meter, on rocky
bottom; Anzio - four specimens were observed
on 11th November 2018, at a depth of 0.5 meter,
on mixed bottom, rock (both natural and artifi-
us about 10 years ago; while, surveys conducted
by us over the last 10 years in similar habitats
of other southern Italian locations, in the Ion-
ian (e.g., Marzamemi, Avola, Siracusa, Catania,
Crotone) and Tyrrhenian Seas (e.g., Palermo,
Milazzo, Scilla, Sorrento), did not show the
presence of the species. Hence, considering all
the above data, we can assert that the species
is quite common and well-established along
the southwestern Sicilian coast examined in
this study; while, in other Italian Seas, with
Fig. 2. Some of the specimens of Symphodus melops photographed in the study area; adult male (A); adult female (B);
particular of the head of an adult specimen (C); juvenile specimen (D); S. melops (above) and S. melanocercus
(below) (E); S. tinca (in the foreground) and S. melops (in the background, see the red arrow) (F)
222 ACTA ADRIATICA, 59 (2): 219 - 224, 2018
cial) and sand; Santa Marinella – a mature male
specimen was observed during nest building on
20th April 2018, at a depth of 2 meters, on rocky
bottom. Considering that S. melops is native to
the northeast Atlantic, ranging from Morocco to
Norway, in the North Sea (ROBALO et al., 2012;
FROESE & PAULY, 2018), and that the waters along
the southwestern coast of Sicily are generally
colder than those of the other investigated areas
of the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas (FALCINI et
al., 2015), the presence and abundance of the
species in the study area could be explained, at
least in part, by hydrological conditions, temper-
ature in particular. However, other environmen-
tal factors could not be ruled out. In conclusion,
we provide the first data supporting the presence
of a well-established population of S. melops in
the southern Sicily (first records in the area),
with notes about its habitat, ecology and distri-
bution. This represents the first report in which
the species is reported as common and relatively
abundant in Italian waters (and, in general, in
the Mediterranean Sea). Further targeted and
extensive studies are necessary to better under-
stand the ecology, distribution and abundance of
S. melops in the Mediterranean Sea and factors
affecting its establishment.
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Received: 26 November 2017
Accepted: 8 November 2018
223
Tiralongo et al.:On the presence of a well-established population of Symphodus melops (Linnaeus, 1758) ...
O prisutnosti uspostavljene populacije kosirice mjesečice, Symphodus
melops (Linnaeus, 1758), u središnjem Sredozemnom moru
s bilješkama o njezinom staništu i ekologiji
Francesco TIRALONGO* i Santo TIRNETTA
*Kontakt e-pošta: fra.tiralongo@hotmail.it
SAŽETAK
U ovom radu se navodi prisutnost utemeljene populacije kosirice mjesečice Symphodus melops
(Linneus, 1758) koja je prvi put zabilježena u središnjem Sredozemnom moru (jugozapadna Sici-
lija). Autori iznose podatke o pristunosti vrste u tom području zajedno s bilješkama o njezinom
staništu, ekologiji i distribuciji.
Ključne riječi: Labridae, Sicilijanski tjesnac, Sredozemno more, neuobičajene vrste, novi nalaz
224 ACTA ADRIATICA, 59 (2): 219 - 224, 2018
