Coris julis

Photo by: Shahar Malamud

Size range: 10-30 cm

Common size: 20 cm

Depth range: 0 - 120 m

Habitat:

• Hard - rocky
• Vegetation -sea grass

Water column position:

• Supra-benthic

Schooling characteristics:

• Small groups

Colors & patterns:

• A clearly defined white stripe separating the dark back from the paler belly.
• Dorsal part brown (from olive to reddish brown) with a thin irregular white line.
• Belly orange-yellow, sometimes white.
• A blue-black spot on rear edge of gill cover.
• Female: upper part of body almost uniformly dark .
• Belly white (sometimes yellowish)
• Males: front of dorsal fin higher, with a prominant black spot edged with red and turquoise.
• A longitudinal bright orange zigzag median line.
• Back blue-green'an elongate black blotch on side.

Behavior:

1. Whether the species is:

• Reef-associated - related to sites it inhabits

2. Activity:

• Diurnal

3. Approach:

• Easily approached

4. Unique behavior: TBC

5. Feeding characteristic - crustaceavore

EM notes: description of special east Mediterranean characteristics.