Author: (Bloch, 1797)
Symphodus (Symphodus) rostratus (Bloch, 1797)
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Symphodus (Symphodus) rostratus (Bloch, 1791) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: head length greater than body depth. Snout long upward directed. Teeth (11-21/11-16). Snout with 4-10 pores. Lips with 7 folds. Dorsal finrays XIV XVI + 9-12; anal finrays III + 9-11. Sc; along lateral line 30-35, on temporo-occipital surface 3-5; rows scales above lateral line 3.5, on inter-operculum 2 (7-10 scales), cheek 3-5, behind eye 2. Gillrakers 14-18. Vertebrae 30-33. Colour: evident sexual dimorphism, but males more brightly coloured spawning season. Black urogenital papilla. Colour very variable: green, grey-mauve, brown, red-brownish, often mottled. Usually a pale white median longitudinal stripe on head, from upper lip to dorsal origin. Size: to 13 cm SL, usually 8-10 cm.
Habitat: littoral, near rocks, mainly in eel-grass beds (1-20 m). Behaviour: often many fishes in same area. Adhesive eggs laid by one (or more) female in nest of algae built by male. Food: no data. Reproduction: north- western Mediterranean in March-July. Age and growth: to 3-4 years. Rate of growth faster in males. When 3 years old males measure 11 cm and females 9.5 cm.
Distribution: Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. Lo Bianco, 1809: 710 | Cipria, 1939: 3, fig. 1-19 | Sparta, 1939: 3, fig. 1-9; 1956: 592, fig. 473-475 | Nival, 1966: 1309.
Otoliths (sagitta). Sanz EcheverrÃa, 1937: 43, pl. 2 (fig. 21-24).