The black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) is a species of Sparidae fishes. They are recognisable by their oval compressed body and jaws containing 4-6 rows of slender teeth which are larger at the front. They are silvery in colour with blue and pink tinges and broken longitudinal gold lines. They can reach a maximum size of 60 cm in length. They live in northern Europe and in the Mediterranean, usually found on the inshore shelf at depths varying from 5 to 300 m. They are usually found in schools feeding on seaweeds and invertebrates. They breed in February to May leaving eggs in the demersal zone.
| Black seabream | |
|---|---|
Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Sparidae |
| Genus: | Spondyliosoma |
| Species: | S. cantharus |
| Binomial name | |
| Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Range of black seabream | |
Black seabream are protogynous meaning females have the ability to change to males.
Media related to Spondyliosoma cantharus at Wikimedia Commons
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