English: Sea breams; Porgies.
Members: Sheepshead, Scup, Red seabream.
Genera: 38; 155 species; 1 family,
Sparidae.
Habitat: shallow temperate and tropical waters; bottom-dwelling.
ZoologyFish; rather large firmly attached scales; possess mostly grinding, molar-like teeth.
Form: deep-bodied, compressed; small mouth, separated by a broad space from the eye.
Fins: single dorsal fin, with strong spines, soft rays; short anal fin; long pointed pectoral fins.
Food: carnivores.
Reproduction: hermaphrodites; protogyny and protandry appear sporadically.
Ecology: some are subject to overfishing, or exploitation beyond sustainable recovery.