Diagnostic Description
(
Anglèis
)
fornì da FAO species catalogs
Body oval, rather deep and compressed. Head profile regularly curved. Eye small. Mouth low, very slightly oblique. Lips thick. Four to 6 canine-like teeth anteriorly in each jaw, followed posteriorly by blunter teeth which become progresively molar-like and are arranged in 2 to 4 rows (teeth in the 2 outer rows stronger). Total gill rakers on first arch short, 11 to 13, 7 or 8 lower and 5 (rarely 4) to 6 upper. Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 13 to 14 soft rays. Anal with 3 spines and 11 or 12 soft rays. Cheeks scaly, preopercle scaleless. Scales along lateral line 73 to 85. Colour silvery grey; a large black blotch at origien of lateral line extending on upper margin of opercle where it is edged below by a reddish area; a golden frontal band between eyes edged by two dark areas (not well defined in young individuals); dark longitudinal lines often present on sides of body; a dark band on dorsal fin; fork and tips of caudal fin edged with black.
- Bauchot, M.-L., , Hureau, J.-C., & J.C. Miquel. - 1981. Sparidae In: W. Fischer, G. Bianchi and W.Scott (eds). FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Eastern Central Atlantic; fishing areas 34, 47 (in part). Canada Funds-in-Trust. Ottawa, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, by arrangement with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Vol. IV : pag. var .
- Bauchot, M.-L., & J.-C. Hureau - 1990. Sparidae In: J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds). Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT-Portugal, SEI-France, Unesco. Vol. II: 790-812.
- Buen, F de. - 1935. Fauna ictiológica. Catálogo de los peces Ibéricos: de la planicie continental, aguas dulces, pelágicos y de los abismos próximos. Segunda parte. Notas Resúm. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr., ser. II. (89): 91-143, pl XXI-LII (fig. 40-115).
- Cuvier, G., & A. Valenciennes. - 1830. Historie naturelle des poissons. Tome Sixième. Livre sixième. Partie I. Des Sparoïdes; Partie II. Des Ménides. v. 6: i-xxiv + 6 pp. + 1-559, Pls. 141-169. Valenciennes author of pp. 1-425, 493-559; Cuvier 426-491. i-xviii + 1-470 in Strasbourg ed.
- Day, F. - 1880. The Fishes of Great Britain and Ireland. vol. 1(1): 1-64, pl. I -XXVII. London-Edinburgh.
- Fowler, H. W. - 1936. The Marine Fishes of West Africa, based on the collection of the American Museum Congo Expedition 1909-15. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 70 (2), Nov. 18: 607-1493 .
- Murray, J., & J. Hort. - 1912. The depths of the ocean. A general account of the modern science of oceanography based largely on the scientific researches of the norwegian steamer Michael Sars in the North Atlantic. xx+821 p. 575 fig. + unnumbered fig., 4 maps, 9 pl . London.
- Steindachner, F. - 1867. Ichthyologischer Bericht über eine nach Spanien und Portugal untermommene Reise. Sber. Akad. Wiss. Wien. 56 (1): 603-708, 9 pl .
Distribution
(
Anglèis
)
fornì da FAO species catalogs
Common throughout Mediterranean, les frequent in eastern and south-eastern Mediterranean, very rare in black Sea. Atlantic from British Isles to Cape Verde and around the Canary Islands.
Size
(
Anglèis
)
fornì da FAO species catalogs
Maximum 70 cm; common to 35 cm.
Brief Summary
(
Anglèis
)
fornì da FAO species catalogs
Benthopelagic (demersal behaviour).A coastal species, inhabiting seagrass beds, rocky and sandy bottoms as well as in the surf zone commonly to depts of about 30 m, but the adults may occur to 150 m depth.Euryhaline, entering brackish waters. A sedentary fish, solitary or forming small aggregations. A protandric hermaphrodite; the majority individuals are first males, then become females. Spawning occurs from October to December; maturity at 1-2 years (20-30 cm) for males, 2-3 years (33-40 cm) for females; do not spawn in Black Sea. Mainly carnivorous, (molluscs, particularly musels which it can easily crush, crustaceans and fish); but accessorily herbivorous.
Benefits
(
Anglèis
)
fornì da FAO species catalogs
Caught on line gear, with trammel nets, bottom trawls, beach seines and traps. The richest fishing grounds are located between 36°N to 21°S, the species being less common further south and around the Canary Islands. Fished most intensively from February to October. Separate statistics are not reported for this species. Flesh highly esteemed. Marketed fresh or frozen. Also used for fishmeals and oil.
