Diagnostic Description
provided by FAO species catalogs
Body oval, more or less elongate, compressed. Head profile regularly convex in the young, but older individuals develop a conspicuous hump on front; eye diameter about equal to width of suborbital space. Cheeks scaly; sometimes also small scales present on entire height of preopercle. Mouth low, slightly oblique; jaws subequal. Several rows of canine-like teeth, outer row much the strongest with 4 to 6 better developed anterior teeth in each jaw. Gillrakers on first arch 8 to 10 lower and 6 to 8 upper. Dorsal fin with 12 spines and 10 or 11 soft rays; first two dorsal spines very short; those following very long and filamentous in young individuals and decreasing in length from the third backward. Anal fin with 3 spines and 7 to 9 soft rays; first soft ray of pelvic fins filamentous. Scales along lateral line 52 to 62. Colour reddish with bluish silvery reflections; belly ligther and head darker. A small black spot behind posterior end of dorsal fin; a brownish black spot at pectoral fin axils; a dark area at upper angle of opercle; 1 or 2 dark lines on soft part of dorsal fin. Caudal fin red, edged with black. Large individuals are often tinged wine red and spotted with black on head (males) or greyish (females).
- Akazaki, M. - 1974. In: T. Tomiyama, Fisheries in Japan. Sea bream. Tokyo, 181 p., num. col. Phot.
- Bauchot, M.-L., J.-C. Hureau & 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 - 1986. Sparidae. In: P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (FNAM). Unesco, Paris. Vol. II: 883-907.
- Bauchot, M.-L. & J.-C. Hureau - 1990. Sparidae In: J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha. Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT-Portugal, SEI-France, Unesco. Vol. II: 790-812.
- Rafinesque-Schmaltz, C.S - 1810. Caratteri di alcuni nuovi generi e nuove specie di animali (principalmente di pesci) e piante della Sicilia, con varie osservazioni sopra i medisimi. Palermo, 105 p., 20 pl. (Reprint, 1967, Asher-Amsterdam.).
- Smith, J. L. B. - 1938. The South African fishes of the families Sparidae and Denticidae. Trans. R. Soc. S. Africa v. 26 (pt 3): 225-305, Pls. 18-29.
- Tortonese, E. - 1973. Sparidae. In: J.-C. Hureau and Th. Monod (eds). Check-list of the fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and of the Mediterranean (CLOFNAM). Unesco, Paris, vol. I: 405-415.
- Valenciennes, A. - 1830. Historie naturelle des poissons. In: G. Cuvier and A. Valenciennes. Historie naturelle des poissons. Tome Sixième. Livre sixième. Partie I. Des Sparoïdes: 1-425. in Strasbourg ed.
- Valenciennes, A. - 1841. Ichthyologie des îles Canaries, ou histoire naturelle des poissons rapportés par MM. Webb et Berthelot. In: P.B. Webb et S. Berthelot, Histoire naturelle des Iles Canaries, Paris 2 (2): pl. 6.
- Valenciennes, A. - 1843. Ichthyologie des íles Canaries, ou histoire naturelle des poissons rapportés par MM. Webb et Berthelot. In: P.B. Webb et S. Berthelot, Histoire naturelle des Iles Canaries, Paris 2 (2): 9-96. pl. 20-23.
Size
provided by FAO species catalogs
Maximum 111 cm; common to 60 cm
Brief Summary
provided by FAO species catalogs
Benthopelagic (demersal behaviour).On the shelf on hard bottoms (rock or rubble) as well as on sand around rocks, from 20 to about 220 m depth. The young are found close to the shore, while the adults occur in offshore waters in the vecinity of the continental slope. Protandric hermaphrodite (the majority are males up to 50 cm length, becoming females thereafter). Carnivorous feeding chiefly on crustaceans, fish and cephalopods.
Benefits
provided by FAO species catalogs
Separate statistics are not reported for this species. Caught with line gear (adults), bottom trawls and traps (young on the Canary Islands). Flesh highly esteemed. Marketed fresh, frozen or dried salted; also used for fishmeal and oil.
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
The majority (50-70%) are males up to 50 cm length, transforming into females thereafter (Ref. 4781). Also Ref. 28504.
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Occurs on the shelf on rocky and rubble bottoms, as well as on sand around rocks. The young are close to shore while the adults occur offshore in the vicinity of the continental slope. Feeds mainly on crustaceans, fish and cephalopods.
- Recorder
- Drina Sta. Iglesia
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Occur on the shelf on rocky and rubble bottoms, as well as on sand around rocks. The young are close to shore while the adults occur offshore in the vicinity of the continental slope. Feed mainly on crustaceans, fish and cephalopods (Ref. 4781). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 27000. Maximum published weight 15 kg (Ref. 5377) and reported 16.42 kg (Miguel Cañizares (pers.comm. 7/2019).
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
