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Red pandora (Pagellus bellottii) — Sparidae

Red pandora

Pagellus bellottii
Family: Sparidae
LC · Least Concern

The Red pandora (Pagellus bellottii) is a saltwater fish of the family Sparidae that grows up to 42 cm.

Length
42 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
100.0–250.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Highly prized

Description

The red pandora is a reddish-pink sea bream of the family Sparidae reaching about 42 cm. It resembles the European sea breams, with a deep, laterally compressed body, a bluish rim around the eyes and often a red spot at the pectoral-fin base. Like many sea breams it is a protogynous hermaphrodite: individuals begin as females and may later turn into males. The species lives in schools over sand and mud bottoms of the continental shelf of the eastern Atlantic, from West Africa to southern Iberia and the Macaronesian islands. On the bottom it searches for small crustaceans, molluscs, worms and small fish. The red pandora is a valued commercial and sport fish.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Red pandora?

The Red pandora has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Red pandora live?

The Red pandora lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Red pandora get?

The Red pandora grows to a maximum of about 42 cm. On average the species is around 25 cm.

Is the Red pandora dangerous to humans?

No, the Red pandora is harmless to humans.

Is the Red pandora edible?

Yes, the Red pandora is a highly prized food fish.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Afrikaanse zeebrasem inferred
English name
Red pandora verified
Scientific name
Pagellus bellottii
Family
Sparidae
Other names
Red pandora verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
42.0 verified
Average length (cm)
25.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater verified
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom verified
Min depth (m)
100.0 verified
Max depth (m)
250.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Schooling verified
Territorial
No verified
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized verified
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met zeepier, garnaal of stukje vis; een gewaardeerde commerciele en sportvis in West-Afrika sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Pagellus

More from the family Sparidae

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