wrasse

Everyday

1. A wrasse is a brightly coloured sea fish with thick lips, found in warm seas and around rocky coasts and coral reefs. tree →
2. The cleaner wrasse is a small wrasse that eats tiny pests off bigger fish. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on habitats and living together, the cleaner wrasse is an example of two animals helping each other: big fish wait at "cleaning stations" and the wrasse eats parasites from their skin and even inside their mouths, getting a meal. Ballan wrasse live around British coasts and rock pools. Many wrasse can change from female to male. Phrases: «cleaner wrasse», «ballan wrasse», «cuckoo wrasse».

Examples

• A cleaner wrasse swam into the big fish's mouth to clean it. tree →
• We saw a green wrasse near the rocks while snorkelling. tree →
• Wrasse have thick lips and bright colours. tree →
• The cuckoo wrasse is blue and orange. tree →
• Fish farms use wrasse to eat lice off salmon. tree →
• Big fish wait in line for the cleaner wrasse. tree →

Note

Say it "rass" (silent w). Plural: «wrasse» or «wrasses». Like many fish names, «wrasse» is used for many different species.