Axillary wrasse

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| image =Vagueta (Symphodus mediterraneus), Parque natural de la Arrábida, Portugal, 2022-07-19, DD 60.jpg

| image_caption =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Pollard, D. |author2=Afonso, P. |date=2010 |title=Symphodus mediterraneus |volume=2010 |page=e.T187475A8544986 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187475A8544986.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}

| taxon = Symphodus mediterraneus

| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)

| synonyms = {{collapsible list|

• Perca mediterranea Linnaeus, 1758
• Crenilabrus mediterraneus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Lutjanus mediterraneus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Labrus serpentinus Bonnaterre, 1788
• Labrus coeruleovittatus Bonnaterre, 1788
• Labrus unimaculatus J. F. Gmelin, 1789
• Lutjanus massiliensis Lacépède, 1802
• Lutjanus brunnichii Lacepède, 1802
• Crenilabrus brunnichii (Lacepède, 1802)
• Labrus pittima Rafinesque, 1810
• Crenilabrus boryanus A. Risso, 1827
• Crenilabrus nigrescens A. Risso, 1827
• Crenilabrus pictus R. T. Lowe, 1838

| synonyms_ref = {{Fishbase|Symphodus|mediterraneus|month=August|year=2019}}

}}}}

The axillary wrasse (Symphodus mediterraneus) is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the Azores and Madeira to the coasts of Portugal to Morocco and then along the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This species can be found in eelgrass beds at depths from {{convert|1|to|50|m|ft|abbr=on}}. It can reach {{convert|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} in standard length, though most do not exceed {{convert|12|cm|in|abbr=on}}. This species is important to local peoples as a food fish and is also sought as a game fish. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Adults are found mainly in eel-grass beds. Often in pairs. Males nest-makers. Feed mainly on mollusks, gastropods, bivalves, tubicolous worms, chitons, sea urchins and bryozoans.{{Cite book|last=D.E. Rosen|first=Breder, C.M.|title=Modes of reproduction in fishes|publisher=T.F.H. Publications|year=1966|isbn=|location=Neptune City, New Jersey.|pages=941}} Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding