Common dentex
📖 Overview
Inhabit hard bottoms (rock or rubble) down to 200 m depth. Usually found in shallow water less than 50 m deep . Adults solitary; young gregarious . Young fish caught with traps. Feed on fish, mollusks and cephalopods. Important food fish. Marketed fresh or frozen . Some attempts to culture this species have been successful. Due to low market supply, the potential for selling these fish from aquaculture operations seems to be good . A spear-fisherman cites a specimen caught in Greece (Corfu) with an overnight bottom-line about 1.60 m and 42 kg , but the identification cannot be verified.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7 - 9. Body oval and compressed. Canine teeth, with 4 to 6 anterior teeth very developed in each jaw.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Common dentex is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Common dentex is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Gonochoric, but some specimens are hermaphroditic. Species of separated sexes (although some individuals may be hermaphrodite in young stages). In the Mediterranean, reproduction takes place between March and May, in areas near the coast. Embryo development lasts about 3 days at 17°C.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 0 - 200 m , usually 15 - 50 m . Subtropical; 56°N - 12°N, 23°W - 42°E south of 40°N (Spain, North Africa) in the Mediterranean (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
fish, mollusks and cephalopods
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Common dentex is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19.7 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 417 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Common dentex has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Common dentex · Common dentex, Dentex · Dentex · Porgy |
| 🏳️Catalan | déntol |
| 🌍CYM | Merfogiaid Ysgithrog · merfog ysgithrog |
| 🇩🇪German | Zahnbrasse |
| 🌍ELL | Συναγρίδα |
| 🌍EUS | txelba hortzandia |
| 🇫🇷French | Denti · Denti, Dente commun · Denté commun · dente |
| 🌍HEB | שינן הניבים |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | zubatac |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Dentice · dentao · dentatu |
| 🌍MLT | Denci · Denci komuni · Dentici · Spnotta komuni |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | tandbrasem |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Kielec wlasciwy |
| 🌍RON | Dintos |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Зубан обыкновенный |
| 🌍SLV | zobatec |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Dentón |
| 🌍SQI | Dentali · dhëmbaçi · sinagridhja |
| 🌍SRP | zubatac |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | tandbraxen |
| 🌍TUR | Sinarit · sinagrit · sinagrit balığı |
| 🌍UKR | Зубан звичайний |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dentex vulgaris | Valenciennes | 1830 | Synonym |
| Sparus dentex | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 18 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Common dentex ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.