Gilthead seabream

Sparus aurata

Occurring in

Mediterranean
North Atlantic

1-150m

DayActive

not endangered

You can easily recognize the Gilthead seabream by the noticeable black spot on the gills and the golden stripe between the eyes. It is also known as bream. It has an oval, laterally flattened body with a high back that looks like a hump.

Risk of confusion

Black seabream Gestreifte Brassen, die sich im Mittelmeer zum Verwechseln ähnlich sehen.

Sarlema Gestreifte Brassen, die sich im Mittelmeer zum Verwechseln ähnlich sehen.

Sharpsnout seabream Gestreifte Brassen, die sich im Mittelmeer zum Verwechseln ähnlich sehen.

Striped bream Gestreifte Brassen, die sich im Mittelmeer zum Verwechseln ähnlich sehen.

Habitat

Special features

You can easily recognize the Gilthead seabream by the noticeable black spot on the gills and the golden stripe between the eyes.

It is also known as bream.

divedict_foto_biolexicon_fishe_mediterranean brasse_sparus_aurata_goldbrasse_pictures

Appearance

It has an oval, laterally flattened body with a high back that looks like a hump.

The dorsal fin is long and serrated and the pelvic fin is V-shaped. Sometimes it has a black hem.

The body is covered with large, silvery scales, its lips are thick.

Natural enemies

None

Dangerous/Venomous

The Gilthead seabream is neither dangerous nor venomous.

Sketch

Sparus_aurata_DiveDict

1. Golden stripe

2. Black spot on the gills

3. High, hump-like back

Pro tips

It lives alone or in small groups and can communicate with its companions by knocking noises.

For the first two years of its life, the giltheaded seabream is male and then changes sex to female due to hormonal changes.

In the Mediterranean, it reproduces between October and December. The adults swim into deeper water and the young animals pilgrimage to the coast after hatching from the free-floating eggs.

divedict_foto_biolexicon_fish_mediterranean brasse_sparus_aurata_golden bream

Text: Carolina Leiter, Felician Hosp, Pia Balaka

Pic: Felician Hosp

Illustration: Dive Dict