Diplodus Puntazzo
– SharpSnout SeaBream –
| Scientific classification |
|---|
Diplodus puntazzo (Walbaum, 1792)
| Dominio | Eukaryota |
|---|---|
| Regno | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Classe | Actinopterygii |
| Ordine | Perciformes |
| Famiglia | Sparidae |
| Genere | Diplodus |
| Specie | D. puntazzo |
Description
The pointed-snouted sar is a fish of 15 to 40 cm in common length , up to 60 cm. Like all Sparidae, it has only one dorsal fin. The body, oval, high and laterally compressed, lengthens with age. The lips are thin on a slightly protractile * mouth. It has on each jaw, 8 incisors inclined forward and one or two rows of rudimentary molars. This toothing gives it its pointed muzzle.
The dominant coloring is silvery gray. The back has at least ten more or less dark vertical stripes . In older individuals, scratches may disappear in favor of spots. A dark band, which can be faded on the lower part,. A dark spot is also found at the base of the pectoral fins . The rear of the caudal fin is dark in color.
Biotope
D. puntazzo is commonly found on rocky bottoms up to 60 m, more rarely up to 150 m. Adults are rather solitary or in the company of other Diplodus species (common sar D. sargus sargus or black- capped sar D. vulgaris ) and capable of large movements like the drum sar, D. cervinus . Like other species of the genus Diplodus , juveniles can be found in the lagoons where they arrived as larvae *. However, due to the arrival of larvae during winter (usually December), D. puntazzo is rarer than D. sargus, D. cervinus and the sparaillon D. annularis at the level of the lagoons which is a rather hostile environment in winter. Thus, it is easier to meet juveniles at shallow rocky areas (a few meters), as well as in ports at dyke level.
Similar Species
Diplodus puntazzo can be confused with the common sar D. sargus sargus . The most important differences concern the shape of the muzzle and the caudal spot which forms a ring in D. puntazzo while it does not reach the inferior border in D. sargus sargus . The vertical bands are more marked in D. puntazzo , which, moreover, does not have the operculum bordered in black characteristic of D. sargus sargus (except on individuals from the Atlantic).
Alimentation
Like all sars, the pointed-snouted sar is a benthic carnivore *. It feeds on the substrate *, in particular crustaceans, polychaete worms *, molluscs (especially bivalves) and everything that lives fixed on the rocks (bryozoans, barnacles, hydraires). Juveniles have a more omnivorous tendency, devouring anything they can swallow, even algae, while preferring isopods * and small polychaete worms.
Reproduction
This species is a * protander * hermaphrodite. The reproduction takes place in the Mediterranean from August to September and the larvae arrive on the coast between November and December. We speak of winter recruitment * (as in D. vulgaris ) while the other sars of our coasts have a summer recruitment ( D. sargus sargus , D. cervinus and D. annularis ).
Various Biology
This species is not very shy, especially in protected areas where it is not subject to predation when the individual reaches about 25 cm.
At night, individuals appear darker and sleep with their fins extended to appear larger and thus protect themselves from a possible predation attempt for smaller individuals. Predators can then be grouper, conger, squid, cuttlefish.
Further Information
This fish is edible and is the subject of semi-industrial, artisanal or sport fishing. It is sold fresh on the markets of many Mediterranean countries, but not very present on French shelves. Aquaculture trials are carried out in Sicily. Like the sar tambour, D. cervinus , D. puntazzo appears to be a good model for aquaculture, in particular thanks to its strong growth in the first years, nevertheless mass exploitation has not started due to the relative difficulty in producing larvae compared to species such as sea bream or wolf.
