Roman seabream

Biology

The roman seabream is a reddish fish that lives on rocky bottoms at depths of up to 100 metres, where it pursues invertebrates and fish that populate the substrate. The juveniles prefer to swim above shallow banks of marine algae where they can feed on small crustaceans. Males are highly territorial.

Conservation

The roman seabream is threatened by overexploitation for human consumption. It life cycle makes it more vulnerable, as it is sedentary and slow-growing, often being captured before reaching sufficient age for reproduction.

Curiosities

It is a hermaphroditic species: females, when they reach about 30 centimetres in length, change into males.