| Family: |
Moronidae (Temperate basses) |
| Max. size: |
70 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic-neritic; brackish; marine; depth range - 30 m, |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: English Channel (occasional) southward along the coasts of Europe and Morocco to Senegal and the Canary Islands; also southern Mediterranean and the Gulf of Suez. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10-12. Diagnosis: elongate fish with 2 separate dorsal fins and a rather deep caudal peduncle; vomerine teeth patch anchor-shaped, with the posterior teeth extending to the midline of palate; scales on interorbital space ctenoid; opercle with 2 flat spines; lower preopercular margin with large, forward-pointing spines; caudal fin moderately forked; scales small (Ref. 57391).
Coloration: silvery grey, back bluish in life; juveniles and adults with small dark markings scattered over back and sides; a very distinct black spot on opercle (Ref. 57391). |
| Biology: |
Coastal species (Ref. 4197), found in coastal marine and brackish waters (Ref. 57391). Occurs on various kinds of bottoms, including sand, muddy sand and rocks; occasionally occurring in rivers (Ref. 6916, 57391). Also capable of living in hypersaline habitats (Sine Saloum in Senegal)(Ref. 57391). Feeds mainly on shrimps and mollusks, also fishes (Ref. 5990). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 July 2014 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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