The saddled seabream (''Oblada melanura''), also called the saddle bream or oblade, is a species of fish of the family
Sparidae
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 ...
.
It is
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
in the genus ''Oblada''.
Description
It has a fuse-shaped blueish-silver body, with a black spot near the tail. The maximum length record for this species is ,
[ caught by Mr Martin Pisani (Malta) and maximum recorded weight is . Commonly specimens are around . The mouth is relatively small, with lower jaw being little bit in front of the upper jaw.
It is a gregarious fish, spawning in June and July. The saddled seabream is an omnivorous fish, but feeds mainly on small invertebrates.
]
Distribution and habitat
It is found over seagrass
Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Cymodoceaceae), all in the orde ...
and rocky bottoms in the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
, Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...
, Madeira
)
, anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira")
, song_type = Regional anthem
, image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg
, map_alt=Location of Madeira
, map_caption=Location of Madeira
, subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
, Cape Verde
, national_anthem = ()
, official_languages = Portuguese
, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
, capital = Praia
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, demonym ...
, Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
and Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medi ...
to Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
.
Fishing
It is an important food fish, often sold fresh at local fish markets. It is caught in fish traps and various nets all year long. Bait in traps are various fresh and/or salted fish and fish chunks.
Saddled seabream can be hooked day and night, but much better during night. It will bait on bread, cheese, paste, fish chunks, mussels, but best results can be achieved using live bait such as live prawns.
When trolling near the shore, it is commonly caught on lures mimicking small Mediterranean sand smelt
The Mediterranean sand smelt, ''Atherina hepsetus'', is a species of fish in the family Atherinidae.
Description
The body is rather long, slender and moderately flattened. The mouth is protrusible, directed upward with small teeth; the head and ...
s, various mullets or prawns.
Cuisine
The meat is soft and tender. Smaller specimen are often fried or used for fish soups, while larger specimen can be barbecued, grilled, or prepared as part of mixed fish stews. It can be very tasty, served with olive oil, garlic, parsley and some lemon juice.
References
External links
*
Saddled Seabream
at SeaFishingHowTo.com.
Oblada melanura
at Encyclopedia of Life.
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1771633
Sparidae
Monotypic fish genera
Fish described in 1758
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Fish of the Atlantic Ocean
Fish of the Mediterranean Sea
Fish of West Africa