[2] Its coloration is brown, greenish or orange-red and there are two noticeable dark spots which readily identify it from other eastern Atlantic wrasses, one on the dorsal fin and one situated on the caudal peduncle immediately in front of the caudal fin.

The large, fleshy lipped mouth is equipped with two rows of small teeth in each jaw.

[3][4][2] The goldsinny wrasse is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway south as far as Morocco.

[1] The goldsinny wrasse is normally found in areas dominated by rock or by boulders and requires there to be many crevices for it to hide in.

Spawning happens in mid water and when the pelagic eggs hatch the larvae are planktonic.