Fish
Painted comber
Serranus scriba
Hors saison
—
Zones de pêche
Wild
Origine
12 cm
Taille minimale
Description
It has an elongated, laterally compressed body, with a pointed head and a wide, protractile mouth (which can be extended forward). The body is generally whitish to pale brown or reddish. It is distinguished by 5 to 7 dark vertical bands on the sides. A very diffuse royal blue to violet spot is visible on the belly or lower sides. The head is adorned with fine, sinuous blue and red patterns resembling written characters (hence its name "painted"). The caudal fin (tail) is often orange or yellow. It averages 20 to 25 cm in length but can reach a maximum size of 36 cm. A voracious carnivore, it feeds on small fish, crustaceans (shrimp, crabs), and mollusks. It often hunts by ambush.
Habitat
A demersal marine species (lives near the seafloor). It is found mainly on rocky bottoms, scree, and within Posidonia (Posidonia oceanica) seagrass beds. It prefers areas rich in hiding places (cavities, caves). It generally inhabits depths between 0 and 30 meters, although it has been observed at depths of up to 150 meters.
Distribution
The species is widely distributed in the subtropical and temperate zones of the eastern Atlantic. It is found throughout the Mediterranean basin (very common). Its range extends from the Bay of Biscay in the north to Mauritania and Senegal in the south. It is also found around the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands.