''Chrysoblephus laticeps'' ('golden-eyed broad head'), also known as the red roman or roman seabream, is a species of

sea bream The Sparidae are a family of fish in the order Perciformes, commonly called sea breams and porgies. The sheepshead, scup, and red seabream are species in this family. Most sparids are deep-bodied compressed fish with a small mouth separated by a ...

from southern Africa, ranging from Namibia to the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

. There are also old records from Madagascar and Mauritius, but the validity of these is doubtful. This

demersal fish Demersal fish, also known as groundfish, live and feed on or near the bottom of seas or lakes (the demersal zone).Walrond Carl . "Coastal fish - Fish of the open sea floor"Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 2 March 2009 They occ ...

grows to a maximum length of and a recorded mass of . It is a slow-growing species showing late sexual maturity, and is closely related to the Red Stumpnose. It is found above rocky bottoms and reefs, in water up to in depth and is often caught from the beach by anglers. Juveniles mature in seaweed beds and feed on mollusks, crustaceans, worms and fish. Adults are

benthic The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...

feeders, living on crustaceans, sea urchins and polychaete worms. Mature females transform into territorial males upon further growth (see Protogyny). The species forms pairs before an elaborate courtship ritual and spawning, the eggs being released well above the seafloor. The Red Roman is of robust build, orange to red in colour, showing a striking white saddle and white bar over the gill cover, with a horizontal blue line linking the eyes. Its canines are prominent and it has several rows of molars in both upper and lower jaws. South African research shows that individuals occupy a territory ranging of , and that the extent is independent of fish size or habitat quality. These small home ranges suggest that dispersal of the species is mainly by planktonic larvae. Activity is markedly reduced during the night, and when cold-water upwelling occur, fish seek the shelter of caves. Over the spawning period, females wander beyond their normal home boundaries. This species is sought after by line fishers, operating from the shore or from boats within the inshore zone. Linefishing is the least destructive fishing method, having little impact when carried out with rod and reel or a handline. Other methods, such as spearfishing, lead to overfishing and a population decline in areas such as

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

and False Bay. Its slow growth renders the species particularly vulnerable. There is evidence of some recovery of numbers within Marine Protected Areas.

References

External links

Photo GallerySouth African Journal of Science vol.105 no.9-10 Sept/Oct 2009Southern African Sustainable Seafood InitiativeImage showing the prominent canines
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2701829 Sparidae Fish of the Atlantic Ocean Fish of the Pacific Ocean Fish described in 1830 Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes