Blotched Picarel

Overview

The Blotched Picarel is a common marine fish found throughout the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and parts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Canary Islands and the coasts from Portugal to Morocco. It is a schooling species that typically inhabits coastal waters, often moving between deeper areas in winter and shallower zones during the summer months.

Distribution & habitat

This species is primarily found in the neritic zone, favoring seagrass meadows—particularly Posidonia beds—as well as sandy, muddy, and rocky substrates. While it can be found at depths exceeding 100 meters, it is frequently encountered in shallower coastal waters.

Appearance

The Blotched Picarel has a laterally compressed, oval-shaped body that can develop a noticeable hump behind the head in older individuals. Its most reliable identifying feature is a distinct, rectangular black spot located on the center of its flanks. The coloration is generally blue-grey or silvery-green, often marked with faint golden lines on the head and opercula. During the breeding season, males exhibit more vibrant colors, including electric blue spots. At night, the fish often adopts a marbled, greenish-grey camouflage pattern.

Biology & behavior

This fish is a diurnal, gregarious species that swims in shoals, sometimes mixing with other similar fish. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals begin life as females and transition into males as they mature and grow larger.

Feeding

The Blotched Picarel is an omnivorous feeder with a carnivorous tendency. It uses its small, protractile mouth to consume zooplankton, small crustaceans, mollusks, and worms.

Reproduction

During the spring and summer, males create circular nests by clearing depressions in the sand or seagrass beds. After the female deposits her adhesive eggs, the male guards and fans the nest to protect the developing larvae until they hatch.