Scientific name : Diplodus cervinus

 

Family : Sparidae
Size : Up to 55 cm
Distribution : Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic : from the Bay of Biscay to South Africa

 

Biology : Its shape and coloration are less classical than those of other species, but its large black stripes make it highly recognizable.
This species prefers warmer seas, which is why it is found no farther north than the Bay of Biscay.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Oblada melanura

 

Family : Sparidae
Size : Up to 30 cm
Distribution : Abundant in the Mediterranean Sea, but also found in West Africa and the Bay of Biscay

 

Biology : Smaller than other sparids, the saddled seabream tends to live in shoals to escape predators. It is omnivorous, with a preference for small invertebrates.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Marthasterias glacialis

 

Family : Asteriidae (starfish, 213 species)
Size : Up to 70 cm
Distribution : Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic, from Norway to South Africa

 

Biology : A great carnivore, the spiny starfish feeds on all the animals it can catch, and can wreak havoc on mussel and oyster farms. It can also be a scavenger. This species can be highly polymorphic, with individuals of varying colours : grey, white, blue, yellow, reddish, pink, etc.

 

IUCN status : Not assessed

 

Scientific name : Solea senegalensis

 

Family : Soleidae (soles, 185 species)
Size : Up to 60 cm
Distribution : Eastern Atlantic, from Namibia to the Bay of Biscay, as well as the Mediterranean

 

Biology : The sole is a specialist of sandy bottoms. It is said to be a right-handed flatfish because it lies on its left side, while its right side is visible. At birth, the sole larva looks like an ordinary fish larva, but becomes asymmetrical as it grows, with the left eye migrating to the right side. Such asymmetry is very rare in vertebrates.

 

IUCN status : Data missing

 

Scientific name : Macroramphosus scolopax

 

Family : Centriscidae
Size : Up to 20 cm
Distribution : All tropical and temperate seas of the world

 

Biology : Its large eyes enable it to see well in twilight. It likes to live at great depths, mainly between 100 and 300 m below the surface, but it regularly comes up close to the surface. It eats small invertebrates, which it hunts in open water and on muddy bottoms.
 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Raja undulata

 

Family : Rajidae (common rays, 163 species)
Size : Up to 1 m
Distribution : From Senegal to the British Isles, via the Mediterranean Sea

 

Biology : This ray frequents sandy bottoms in which it can bury itself. It feeds on many animals, including crustaceans, cephalopods and fish. It is not uncommon to find ray eggs on the shore. These are flat, black, flexible eggs with four horns.

 

IUCN status : Threatened

 

Scientific name : Scyliorhinus stellaris

 

Family : Scyliorhinidae (dogfish, 51 species)
Size : Up to 170 cm
Distribution : Northeast Atlantic Ocean, from Morocco to Norway including the Mediterranean Sea

 

Biology : Although they may be more impressive than their counterpart, the small-spotted catshark, nursehounds are generally harmless to humans.
A single nursehound female is able to lay about 100 eggs per year. The eggs are long capsules with four curly filaments that allow the female to secure the egg cases to bunches of seaweed or soft corals, thereby keeping them from drifting away.

 

IUCN status : Vulnerable

 

Scientific name : Scyliorhinus canicula

 

Family : Scyliorhinidae (dogfish, 51 species)
Size : Up to 1 m
Distribution : Northeast Atlantic Ocean, from Morocco to Norway including the Mediterranean Sea

 

Biology : Although modest in size, the small dogfish is in fact a shark. It feeds on molluscs, crustaceans and small fish.
This species thrives in cold waters, and can be seen at varying depths depending on its location. In Norway, it can be seen at depths of just 10 m, while in Greece it always lives at depths of over 200 m.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Diplodus sargus

 

Family : Sparidae
Size : Up to 45 cm
Distribution : Mediterranean and East Atlantic coasts, as far south as South Africa

 

Biology : These fish are extremely common on our coasts. They generally live in shoals. It is not uncommon to observe shoals where several of these species intermingle.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Diplodus puntazzo

 

Family : Sparidae
Size : Up to 60 cm
Distribution : Mediterranean and West African coasts

 

Biology : Omnivorous fish that catch their prey on rocky bottoms. They feed on molluscs, crustaceans, worms and sometimes algae. They are very common along our coasts and play an active role in regulating marine invertebrate populations.

 

IUCN status : Least concern