| Family: |
Sparidae (Porgies) |
| Max. size: |
55 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 12 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 150 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay, Strait of Gibraltar and Mediterranean; southward to Cape of Good Hope, South Africa; around the Canary and Cape Verde Islands (Ref. 3688); and Madeira Is (Ref. 74541). Western Indian Ocean: southern Mozambique (Ref. 3688). Not found in tropical east Africa (Ref. 3198), Red Sea (Ref. 84159) and Black Sea (Ref. 4781, 112870). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 10-11 |
| Biology: |
Found on the shelf, over sandy and muddy bottoms as well as seagrass-beds and estuaries. Gregarious, sometimes forming sizeable schools. Feeds on worms, mollusks and small crustaceans. Protandric hermaphrodite (Ref. 3688). Flesh excellent (Ref. 3198); sold fresh and dried. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 August 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
