Spondyliosoma cantharus
S. Chaikin
Size range: 30-45 cm
Common size: 30 cm.
Depth range: 10-60 m
Habitat:
- Hard - rocky bottom
- Quite often in open water
- young's live in shallower water (even littoral) often over seagrass beds.
Water column position:
- Supra-benthic but Quite often in open water
Schooling characteristics:
- Solitary (??)
- Small - medium groups
Colors & patterns: Focus on unique characteristics which distinguish the species from others, specify differences between:
- body deep almost symmetrical (belly as round as the back).
- overall color is greyish with more or less visible thin blue and yellow longitudinal lines.
- sides and belly more silvery
- dark color on the rear of the tail
- Males breeding pattern (Med)- more or less visible dark bars. body bright blue often with a dark zone behind the eye when exaited. cheeks may become almost white during mating.
- Note - In the Atlantic there is a different display of male breeding colors.
- juveniles - orange color body.
Behavior:
- Whether the species is:
- Reef-associated - related to sites it inhabits
2. Activity:
- Diurnal (?)
3. Approach:
- Indifferent
- Easily approached
4. Unique behavior:
5. Feeding characteristic - omnivore.
Native/Exotic: Native
EM notes: different colors for reproductive males