Two-banded sea Bream
Two-banded sea Bream, Diplodus vulgaris, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the sea breams and porgies. This species is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. It is an important species for fisheries and is grown in aquaculture. Diplodus vulgaris has an oval shaped, deep, compressed body with a moderately fleshy-lipped slightly protrusible mouth. There are 8 slender brown coloured incisor-like teeth at the front of each jaw with between 3 and 5 rows of molar-like teeth in the upper jaw and between2 and 4 rows of similar teeth in the lower jaw. The molar like teeth sit behind the incisor-like teeth and extend along the sides of each jaw. The dorsal fin is supported by 11 or 12 spines and between 13 and 16 soft rays while there are 3 spines and 12 to 15 soft rays supporting the anal fin. The overall colour is grey, greenish or brownish, paler on the lower body. There is a dark band on the nape which extends to the base of the pectoral fins and to the rear edge of the gill cover, a second dark band rings the caudal peduncle immediately behind the rearmost soft rays of the dorsal and anal fins. This may be less extensive in young individuals. There is a black spot at the base of the pectoral fn. The forked caudal fin is dark, darkening towards the rear margin while the other fins are greyish, also darkening towards their margins.
The Two-banded Seabream has a maximum published total length of 45 cm although 22 cm is more typical, with a maximum published weight of 1.3 kg. Diplodus vulgaris is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Island and Madeira north to the Bay of Biscay and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea. In the Bay of Biscay the species has been spreading north and is now found as far north as the Channel Island and Normandy. The two-banded sea bream is an oceanodromous, euryhaline, benthopelagic fish found at depths between 0 and 160 m, although typically found in water less than 50 m deep, over rocky and sandy substrates. The young fishes may be found living among seagrass beds Diplodus vulgaris is carnivorous, a study of their diet in the Adriatic Sea found that the preyed on crustaceans, molluscs, polychaetes, fish eggs and sea urchins with the most important prey being zooplanktonic copepods and gastropods, They also found that prey preferences changed as the fish grew with smaller fish mainly feeding on zooplankton and larger fish on benthic invertebrates. Another study, off southwestern Portugal, found that the common two-banded seabream preyed on brittle stars, polychaetes, amphipods and sea urchins.
Diplodus vulgaris is subjected to semi-industrial fishing in some parts of the Mediterranean such as Sicily, the Adriatic Sea and Egypt whereas in other areas it is mainly targeted by artisanal fisheries, as well as recreational fisheries. The species is widely available in markets across the Mediterranean and is sold fresh or frozen or salted, despite the flesh not being all that well regarded. The fish are caught in traps in the Canaries with nets and lines used throughout its range, as well as spearing. Diplodus seabreams are very important in Portugal where their combined landings are 13th in importance and 1th in commercial value. The common two-banded seabream is also a potential species for growing in aquaculture as it is euryhaline and attains maturity without the need for hormone treatments.
(extract from Wikipedia)
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