Common Name: Two banded bream

Scientific Names: Diplodus vulgaris

Description: Deep bodied, oval shaped fish with a steep head profile, which grow up to 15cm in this area. They are olive-silver in colour with a black band on the tail stalk and another, which may be short or long, behind the eyes. As well as the two prominent bands, smaller fish can have a range of other colours.

Distinctive Features: Two black bands, one at the beginning of the tail stalk and the other behind the eye.

Abundance: As individuals or in small shoals. At every site in the shallows and deeper.

Habitat & Behaviour: They live over rock and sandy sediments feeding on seabed species. They will also swim with white bream shoals. They are often seen following feeding fish (see video 19) where they pick up food from the leading species , often Red mullet. They often ‘hang’ in mid water in small shoals and at particular locations e.g. Middle Finger.

Reaction to Snorkellers & Divers: Wary of surface diving snorkellers, but much less wary of divers.

Text: Bob Earll
Photo: Russell & Gill Bennett
Video: Julia Jagoditsch