The Red-Banded Seabream, also known as Murudai, is a species in the family of Sparidae and thus belongs to the superclass of the bony fish.
Description
The body of Pagrus auriga is high-backed and laterally, heavily compressed with a steep head profile. The base colour is silver with five thick, vertical, red stripes, the most powerful in the middle of the body. Adult animals lose these red streaks with time.
The fins of the Red-Banded Seabream are also red and its broad mouth is striking.
It reaches a maximum size of 80 cm.
Habitat and Distribution
One finds the Red-Banded Seabream over rocky ground, down to a depth of 170m.
When diving in the Canaries it is rarely seen.
Its distribution area spreads from the coast of Portugal all the way to Angola. This includes islands such as Madeira and São Tomé. It is also distributed in some parts of the Mediterranean Sea.
Biology
While the young fish prefer to live in coastal areas, adult animals are also found further out and above all at greater depths.
Pagrus auriga feeds on crustaceans, snails, mussels, echinoderms and cephalopods.
Its maximum proved age is 27 years.