Details
Dicentrarchus labrax
The European seabass is a sleek predator of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. Around twilight it hunts small fish and crustaceans along rocks, bays, and estuaries.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It occupies coasts, estuaries, bays, and shallow open shores in the Atlantic, the Palearctic. Young fish often enter brackish estuaries and sheltered bays.
Length 40-100 cm; weight 1 kg-12 kg. A silvery body, darker back, and two-part dorsal fin mark the species. The large mouth and streamlined form suit agile coastal hunting.
Activity peaks around dawn and dusk, and fish often travel in loose groups. Larger adults may patrol feeding areas alone.
A carnivore, it eats small fishes, shrimps, crabs, and squid. It uses currents and cover to ambush moving prey.
Adults spawn offshore from winter into spring. Eggs and larvae drift before young fish enter shallow nursery areas.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
