The
Sparidae are a
family of
fish in the order
Perciformes, commonly called
sea breams and
porgies (North America). The
sheepshead,
scup, and
red seabream are species in this family. Most sparids are deep-bodied compressed fish with a small mouth separated by a broad space from the eye, a single dorsal fin with strong spines and soft rays, a short anal fin, long pointed pectoral fins and rather large firmly attached scales. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters and are bottom-dwelling carnivores. Most species possess grinding,
molar-like teeth. Some of the species, such as
Polysteganus undulosus, have been subject to
overfishing, or exploitation beyond sustainable recovery.
