Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Siluriformes
- Family
- Sparidae
- Genus
- Sarpa
- Species
- salpa
Habitat
Salema porgy inhabit shallow coastal waters, including rocky reefs, seagrass beds, and sandy bottoms in temperate and subtropical regions. They are commonly found at depths of 1 to 50 meters in the Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.
Diet
They primarily feed on algae, seagrasses, and occasionally small invertebrates like worms or crustaceans. Feeding occurs mainly during the day in schools, where they graze on submerged vegetation.
Behavior
Salema porgy are highly social, forming large schools for protection and feeding, which helps them evade predators. They are diurnal, active during the day, and may exhibit territorial behavior around prime feeding areas. In rare cases, they can cause mild hallucinations in humans if consumed due to natural toxins in their flesh.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.