They have a very stout appearance and a large head, snout and lips. For the fish—the ballan wrasse—the T-shaped bone, with its row of teeth, served as a powerful tool to grind its mollusk dinner; for the sailor, it offered powerful protection against bad luck. Keoki and Yuko Stender The black and white wrasse, more commonly known as a yellowstripe coris, is a carnivore that possesses two prominent teeth in the front of each jaw that is used for feeding on its favorite prey such as snails, hermit crabs, crabs, shrimps, mollusks, and sea urchins.It will eat nuisance bristle worms, but other beneficial worms as well, including decorative tube species. The Ballan Wrasse possesses a strong jaw that is lined by teeth which are used for grasping and crushing small shellfish and crustaceans. Ballan Wrasse (Labrus bergylta) Irish Record 4.3 Kilo taken on 20.08.1983 by Bertrand Kron at Clogher Head. They are called pharyngeal teeth and are capable of crushing hard shells to a fine powder, which the fish then spits out. Breeding. They are quite capable of inflicting a very nasty wound on a human, so it’s not a good … It also has powerful jaws armed with small teeth. Sandra Deady, Julie M. Fives, Diet of ballan wrasse, Labrus bergylta , and some comparisons with the diet of corkwing wrasse, Crenilabrus melops , Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 10.1017/S0025315400039072, 75, 3, (651-665), (2009). Specimen 4.75bs, or 2.154 kilo. They are an example of a hermaphroditic fish with all ballan wrasse being born female and changing into males at a later stage in their life. Predators & Threats. The peg-like front teeth are bright white in colour and are only used for tearing. They will eat crustaceans, mussels, crabs and even barnacles which they prize off rocks with their powerful teeth and jaws. The wrasse grinds its food down with a set of pharyngeal teeth located further back in the mouth. Prominent, flexible lips and strong teeth allow Wrasse to feed on a variety of food stuffs. More crushing teeth are to be found on the pharyngeal bones in the throat. Crab baits work best when fishing for wrasse. Dense fleshed fish with heavy, thick scales designed to protect the body from impact and damage. Diet. Widespread in the British Isles. The largest of the UK wrasse species, ballan wrasse have incredibly strong teeth which they use to pull molluscs and barnacles off the rocks, before extra teeth in their throats crush shells and finish the job. In the summer wrasse make nests of seaweed that are wedged between rocks. Ballan wrasse can grow to over 60 cm making them by far the biggest of the wrasse species found in U.K. You will sometimes see this large fish surrounded by smaller rock cooks, who clean its parasites. The ballan wrasse is a deep bodied, fully scaled member of the Labridae family with a pointed but not elongated mouth which contains prominent teeth and thick lips. Identification. The Ballan Wrasse rarely exceeds depths of 30 meters, making it a great animal to see whilst snorkelling or diving. Wrasses have protractile mouths, usually with separate jaw teeth that jut outwards. )The dorsal fin has 8–21 spines and 6–21 soft rays, usually running most of the length of the back. Anatomy. Ballan Wrasse. 2) Ballan wrasse have a second set of teeth in their throat. Ballan Wrasse: The ballan wrasse is a sturdy fish with a thick body which is green or red/rust brown in colour; it can sometimes be tinted blue and has a pleasant pattern with a pale underbelly.The ballan wrasse also has a single dorsal fin which is present across its entire body and has a broad tail fin. Where To Find Them. 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