| Family: |
Sparidae (Porgies) |
| Max. size: |
70 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 17 kg; max. reported age: 11 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 150 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: British Isles, Strait of Gibraltar to Cape Verde and around the Canary Islands; also in the Mediterranean (Ref. 3688). Reported from the Black Sea (Ref. 12781). Reports from New Zealand refer to Pagrus auratus (Foster 1801) (Ref. 5755, 9258). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 11-12. Body tall, with large black spot on the gill cover. Snout more than twice as long as the eye diameter (Ref. 35388). |
| Biology: |
Found in seagrass beds and sandy bottoms as well as in the surf zone commonly to depths of about 30 m, but adults may occur to 150 m depth. A sedentary fish, either solitary or in small aggregations. In spring, they often occur in brackish water coastal lagoons and estuaries. Mainly carnivorous, accessorily herbivorous (Ref. 3688). Feed on shellfish, including mussels and oysters. One of the most important fishes in saline and hypersaline aquaculture. Utilized fresh and eaten steamed, pan-fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9987). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 19 August 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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