About Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Diplodus annularis has a deep, compressed body with an elongated ovate shape. Its dorsal fin has 11 spines and 11 to 13 soft rays, while its anal fin has 3 spines and 11 or 12 soft rays. Each jaw has 8 incisor-like teeth at the front, with 1 to 3 rows of molar-like teeth positioned directly behind these incisors. The overall body colour is silvery grey with a yellowish tint, and an almost complete dark ring encircles the caudal peduncle just behind the dorsal and anal fins. The pelvic fins are yellowish, and all other fins are pale. Juveniles have dark bars, and the ring on their caudal peduncle is complete. This species, commonly called the annular seabream, has a maximum published total length of 28 cm (11 in), though 13 cm (5.1 in) is a more typical size, and a maximum published weight of 330 g (12 oz). Diplodus annularis is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Azov Sea, and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, ranging from the Bay of Biscay south to the Straits of Gibraltar, and including Madeira and the Canary Islands. It can be found at depths between 0 and 90 m (0 and 295 ft), living over rocky bottoms, sandy bottoms, and seagrass beds.
