Sand steenbras | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Spariformes |
Family: | Sparidae |
Genus: | Lithognathus |
Species: | L. mormyrus |
Binomial name | |
Lithognathus mormyrus | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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The sand steenbras or striped seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus) is a species of marine fish in the family Sparidae, colloquially known as the common bastardfish for nipping at the legs of swimmers. It is found in shallow water in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from France to South Africa. It also occurs in the Red Sea and off the coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean. The IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]
The sand steenbras is a moderately deep-bodied fish that can grow to a length of about 55 cm (22 in), with a weight of around 1 kg (2.2 lb),but a more common size is 30 cm (12 in). Its head is about as long as it is high and its upper profile is slightly convex. The dorsal fin has eleven spines and twelve to thirteen soft rays. The pectoral fin is shorter than the head and has fifteen to seventeen soft rays. The anal fin has three spines and ten to eleven soft rays. The head and body are silver, the body being marked with about fourteen vertical dark bands. [3] [4]
The species is widely distributed in shallow seas at depths down to about 150 m (492 ft). Its range includes the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the eastern Atlantic Ocean from France southwards to South Africa, the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Cape Verde Islands, the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean from Mozambique southwards to South Africa. It is found in estuaries and bays over sandy and muddy seabeds and sea grass meadows. [4]
The sand steenbras feeds mainly on invertebrates which it picks off the seabed. Its diet includes gastropod molluscs, bivalve molluscs, polychaete worms, crabs, amphipods, copepods, sea urchins and small fish. It is gregarious and sometimes forms large schools. [1]
As a protandric hermaphrodite, the sand steenbras starts its adult life as a male and later changes its sex to female. In the Mediterranean Sea it reaches maturity as a male at age two, at a length of about 14 cm (6 in), and changes sex at age four to seven at a length of about 21 to 28 cm (8 to 11 in). [3]
This fish is caught for human consumption throughout most of its range but is not in general a targeted species due to its small size. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]
The panga, or panga seabream is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Pterogymnus. This species is endemic to the coasts of South Africa. The panga is an important species in commercial line fisheries off South Africa.
Sparidae is a family of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Spariformes, the seabreams and porgies, although they were traditionally classified in the order Perciformes. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters around the world and are demersal carnivores.
The starry smooth-hound is a houndshark of the family Triakidae. It is found on the continental shelves of the northeast Atlantic, between latitudes 61 and 16° N, from the surface to a depth of 200 m (660 ft).
The grey triggerfish, or gray triggerfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the triggerfish family. The species is native to shallow parts of the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Argentina and also the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and off Angola on the west coast of Africa.
The black goby is a species of ray-finned fish found in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. It inhabits estuaries, lagoons, and inshore water over seagrass and algae. It feeds on a variety of invertebrates and sometimes small fish. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Mullus barbatus is a species of goatfish found in the Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea and the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, where its range extends from Scandinavia to Senegal. They are fished, mostly by trawling, with the flesh being well regarded. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed their conservation status as being of "least concern".
The thornback ray, or thornback skate, is a species of ray fish in the family Rajidae.
Lithognathus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. Species in this genus are given the common name of steenbras. The genus is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean from southwestern Europe to South Africa and into the southwestern Indian Ocean.
The red porgy, also known as the common seabream or Couch's bream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Sparidae. It is found in shallow waters on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, being present on the western coast of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea as well as the eastern coasts of North and South America and the Caribbean Sea. It feeds on or near the seabed and most individuals start life as females and later change sex to males.
The red steenbras is a species of fish in the family Sparidae and the only known member of the monospecific genus Petrus. This species is endemic to South Africa. The species' population has been depleted by overfishing in African waters and it has been classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Cancelloxus elongatus, the whiteblotched klipfish, is a species of clinid found in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean along the South African coast. It prefers sandy habitats with nearby rocks at depths of from 10 to 25 metres. It can reach a maximum length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL. This species preys primarily on zoobenthos.
Merluccius capensis is a ray-finned fish in the genus Merluccius, found in the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean, along the coast of South Africa. It is a long, lean fish with a large head, similar in appearance to the European hake and the deep-water Cape hake. By day, it lives close to the bottom on the continental shelf and upper slope at depths not usually exceeding 400 m (1,300 ft); it makes a large, daily vertical migration rising at night to feed in the nectonic zone, and it also migrates southwards in spring and northwards in autumn. It is an important commercial fish species in southern Africa.
Menticirrhus americanus, the southern kingfish, southern kingcroaker, king whiting, Carolina whiting, sea mullet, roundhead, or whiting, is a species of marine fish in the family Sciaenidae. It lives in shallow coastal waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean.
The lesser gurnard, or Quekket's gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean and marginally in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.
Rhabdosargus sarba, also known as the goldlined seabream, silver bream, tarwhine, or yellowfin bream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
Monacanthus ciliatus, commonly known as the fringed filefish, the cuckold or the leather-fish, is a species of bony fish commonly found in shallow water in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
The west coast seabream or west coast steenbras is a species of marine fish in the family Sparidae. It is found in very shallow water off the coasts of to Angola, Namibia and South Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists its conservation status as being "near threatened".
Cheimerius is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. The only species in the genus is Cheimerius nufar, the santer seabream, santer or soldier, of the Indian Ocean.
Rhabdosargus thorpei, the bigeye stumpnose, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The bigeye stumpnose is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Rhabdosargus haffara, the haffara seabream or Haffara stumpnose, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found in the northwestern Indian Ocean.