Visit Our Diving Center
View our Accommodation
  • Nurkowanie
    • Kursy Nurkowanie
    • Nurkowanie z Przewodnikiem
    • Cennik
  • Zakwaterowanie
  • Oferty Specjalne
  • Usługi Wypoczynkowe
  • Miejsca Nurkowe
  • Gozo
  • O-Nas
  • Kontakt
Sklep Online Rejestracja na Nurkowanie
  • PL
    • EN
    • FR
    • DE
    • IT
  • Nurkowanie
    • Kursy Nurkowanie
    • Nurkowanie z Przewodnikiem
    • Cennik
  • Zakwaterowanie
  • Oferty Specjalne
  • Usługi Wypoczynkowe
  • Miejsca Nurkowe
  • Gozo
  • O-Nas
  • Kontakt
02. 04. 201902. 04. 2019

Dentex dentex (Common Dentex)

Home » Blog » Dentex dentex (Common Dentex)
Dentex dentex

Dentex dentex, the Common Dentex, is a species of fish in the Sparids family, commonly called sea breams and porgies.  Dentex dentex is common in the Mediterranean Sea, but also seen in the Black Sea and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.  Both the genus and species Latin names Dentex are related to dentēs which means „teeth”.

The genus Dentex belongs to the family Sparidae, superfamily Percoidea, sub-order Percoidei, order Perciformes, class Actinopterygii, phylum Chordata and kingdom Animalia.  Besides the Common Dentex, this genus also includes the Large-eye Dentex (Dentex macrophtalmus), the Pink Dentex (Dentex filosus) and the Crowned Dentex (Dentex coronatus), all common in the waters surrounding Malta.  The Morocco Dentex (Dentex maroccanus) lives along the coasts of Morocco.

All Dentex are all very fast and good swimming fishes.  They are gregarious, forming crowded schools.  In the specific, the Dentex dentex moves fast in open seas, in enormous schools, looking for prey, chiefly other fishes, which it seizes with its robust teeth and devours quickly.

The body of the Dentex dentex is compressed on the side and wholly covered by great cycloid scales, with light blue-silver reflexes.  The colour is similar in all the various species: the back is dark blue, at times with iridescent dots, the belly and the sides are silvery, whilst a black-blue spot is evident in the zone under the pectoral fins.  The dimensions vary from one metre of length for the Dentex dentex, to 50 cm for the Large-eye (Dentex macrophtalmus).

The tip of the head has a clearly visible prominence due to a remarkably developed supra-occipital crest.  The eyes, large and protruding, are lateral.  The horizontal mouth is quite small compared to the body size.  Its jaw is characterised by robust teeth of various shapes; the fore teeth end in a hooked shape, whilst the others are sharp.  The essential function is to hold the prey, rather than to chew it.

When the mouth is closed, the front teeth jut out from the lip.  On the sides of the body, the lateral line organ is clearly visible.  The dorsal fin is uneven and in a quite retracted position.  Two regions are visible: the fore one, sustained by 10 to 13 thorny rays and the back one, tender.  The pectoral fins are quite broad, whilst the ventral ones are poorly developed.  The anal fin, sustained by three thorny rays, is rather short.  Dentex dentex are also characterised by a diphycercal (bipartite) tail.

The Common Dentex, like many other congeners, has a “hermaphrodite gonad”.  The operation of the gonads is set in a very sophisticated way, by a complex hormonal mechanism.  If the balance between the various hormones involved is broken, then we have the phenomenon of the “sexual inversion”.

The mating takes place in summer and during this time the specimens of Dentex dentex (and the same applies for other species), accumulate a remarkable reserve of fat, visible outside, due to the presence of protuberances.  The eggs are laid close to the rocky coasts, where the marine vegetation is particularly rich, and stick to them.  From the fecundate egg, a larva develops which will then complete its own development in open sea.

The photo of this Common Dentex was taken at a depth of 20m at Reqqa Point on Gozo’s north coast.

Photos taken by Brian Azzopardi

Powiązane Wpisy

Bath Sponge
05. 02. 2021

Bath Sponge (Spongia officinalis)

Spongia officinalis, better known as a variety of Bath Sponge, is a commercially used sea sponge.  Individuals grow in large...

Czytaj Więcej
Green Boring Sponge
09. 01. 202109. 01. 2021

Green Boring Sponge (Cliona viridis)

Cliona viridis, the Green Boring Sponge, is a species of demosponge found along the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean,...

Czytaj Więcej
Merry Christmas
11. 12. 2020

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year 2021

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year 2021 Wishing you all the best ! Happy Holidays from the Atlantis Gozo...

Czytaj Więcej

Reviews

Tolles Center für Sport- Tec und Rebreather Taucher. Bestens zu empfehlen 😃, immer wieder gerne hier 👍.
Manfred Kleemann
Manfred Kleemann
2022-05-23T05:51:17+0000
Our club goes out to Malta/Gozo every year and Atlantis was by far the best centre we have dealt with. The communication building up to the trip was great. So helpful. Our club has a mixed range of diver levels and Atlantis made sure that all our levels was covered. On arrival the welcome was very warming. They couldn’t have been more helpful. Once the admin and kit issue was done we was on our way. The end I’ve every day the team was on hand to assist us making sure we was all prepared for the following day. Nitrox, stages, fills and so on. The end of our trip the staff even came to the apartment to say farewell and seen us off. One of our club members left their regs by mistake but the team contacted us and meet us at the ferry port to return them. Thank you so much!!! We will be returning next year.
Alex Lucas
Alex Lucas
2022-04-21T07:36:58+0000
Highly recommended dive centre! We got all needed services in very friendly atmosphere. Thank you!!
Gedimas Usack
Gedimas Usack
2021-11-27T20:24:01+0000
I did a package deal of 10 dives with Atlantis and was extremely impressed from the get go. The center was very well equipped and maintained and the staff were awesome, totally committed to making sure everyone was welcomed and having fun whilst keeping a high level of professionalism. The guides (Denis, Georgia, Apollo, George) were very knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend Atlantis to anyone looking for a solid and trustworthy center with fair prices. P.s. Go in November, its way less busy and the vis is still good!
Jakob Wayne Víkingur Robertson
Jakob Wayne Víkingur Robertson
2021-11-18T01:22:10+0000
awesome place awesome people!
Richard Binks
Richard Binks
2021-10-20T05:07:13+0000
‹
›

Biuletyn

Zapisz się na nasz biuletyn i otrzymuj najnowsze wiadomości i oferty specjalne od zespołu nurkowego Atlantis! Tym samym zgadza się Pan/i na nasze Polityka Prywatności

Mailchimp
Sending
  • O-Nas
    • Kariera
    • Partner
  • Nurkowanie
    • Kursy Nurkowanie
    • PADI Kursy
    • CMAS & VDST Kurse
    • BSAC Courses
    • Kursy Specjalistyczne
    • Nurkowanie z Przewodnikiem
    • Nurkowanie Samodzielne
    • Nurkowania Technicznego
    • Wypożyczalnia sprzętu
    • Cennik
  • Miejsca Nurkowe
  • Usługi Wypoczynkowe
    • Zakwaterowanie
    • Transport z lotniska i na lotnisko
    • Wypożyczenie Samochodu
    • Wycieczka
  • Oferty Specjalne
  • Gozo
  • Galeria
    • Informacje o Autorze Zdjęcia
  • Kontakt

Copyright © 2023 Atlantis Diving Center. All rights reserved.
Polityka Prywatności | Zasady i Warunki | Refund Policy

Website designed & developed by