Salema
📖 Overview
Found over rocky substrates and sandy area with algal growth. Gregarious, sometimes forming sizeable schools. Young mainly carnivorous on crustaceans, adults almost exclusively herbivorous , feed on seaweeds . Protandric hermaphrodite . Tasty when fresh, but easily softens and is not much esteemed .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 13 - 15. Black spot at the pectoral fin base. Body relatively slender with 10 golden longitudinal stripes .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Salema is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
The salema porgy is a plant-herbivore and due to overpopulation in Portugal had overgrazed seagrass in the area as of 2014. Three substitutes were tested as a substitute for the Portuguese floor. Cymodocea nodosa, Zostera marina, and Zostera noltii were given to an adult S. salpa for testing. It preferred the Zostera noltii, therefore the Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera marina are preferred for seagrass restorations in areas with large populations of S. salpa.
🥚 Reproduction
A monandric species . Sex change occurs at 25.0 cm TL and 3.75 years of age . Conflicting descriptions of the reproductive style of this species have been reported, including possible gonochorism . Also Ref. 28504.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; benthopelagic; oceanodromous ; depth range 5 - 70 m . Subtropical; 45°N - 40°S, 26°W - 36°E South Africa.
🌿 Ecology
seaweeds (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Salema 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 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 253 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Salema has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (lean white fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Bamboo-fish · Cow Bream · Gold Line · Goldline · Karanteen · Salema · Salema Porgy · Salema, Saupe · Saunders's tern · Striped Karanteen · saupe · Salpa |
| 🌍AFR | Strepie |
| 🏳️Catalan | aurada grisenca · salpa |
| 🌍CES | očnatec obecný |
| 🌍CYM | Salpaod · salpa |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Okseøjefisk · Stribet havrude |
| 🇩🇪German | Goldstrieme |
| 🌍ELL | Σάλπα · Σάρπα |
| 🌍EUS | salpa |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Boga |
| 🇫🇷French | Saupe |
| 🌍HEB | סלפית צהובת-פסים |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | aranycsíkos tengeri durbincs · magashátú durbincs |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Salpa |
| 🌍MLT | Gwiela (young) · Sarpa · Tartarella (very young) · Xilpa (adults) |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Gestreepte bokvis · goudstreepzeebrasem |
| 🌍NOB | Langstripet havkaruss · Okseøyefisk |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Okseøyefisk |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Salpa |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Salema |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Морской карась сальпа · Сальпа · Сарпа сальповидная |
| 🌍SLV | Salpa · sopa |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Cagona · Saboga · Salema |
| 🌍SQI | Salpe · arava · salpa |
| 🌍SRP | Salpa · салпа |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Oxögonfisk · salpa |
| 🌍TUR | Sarpa · Sarpan · salpa · çitari |
| 🌍UKR | Морський карась сальпа · Сарпа |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 叉牙鯛 |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 96 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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