Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Tetraodontiformes
- Family
- Trachinidae
- Genus
- Trachinus
- Species
- draco
Habitat
The Greater weever primarily inhabits sandy or muddy seabeds in shallow coastal waters, often at depths of 1 to 50 meters. It is commonly found in the Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea, preferring areas with soft substrates for burrowing and ambush hunting.
Diet
It is omnivorous and feeds on crabs, shrimp, other crustaceans, mollusks and small fishes like herring, menhaden, silversides, killifish and butterfish which it may catch in midwater or at the surface.
Behavior
Greater weevers are solitary ambush predators that bury themselves in the sand during the day and emerge at night to hunt. They exhibit territorial behavior in their benthic habitats, relying on camouflage and venomous spines for defense. They are generally inactive during the day and more active in warmer water temperatures.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.