Salema porgy

The salema porgy (Sarpa salpa), also known as the dreamfish, salema, cow bream, karanteen, salpa, saupe, strepie or goldline, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Sarpa. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and southwestern Indian Ocean.

Distribution

The salema porgy is found in the East Atlantic, where it ranges from the Bay of Biscay to South Africa, as well as in the Mediterranean. It has occasionally been found as far north as Great Britain. It is generally common and found from near the surface to a depth of 70 m (230 ft).

Behaviour

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.