# Common dentex

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Species of fish

Common dentex Common dentex off Canary islands (Spain) Conservation status Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Sparidae Genus: Dentex Species: D. dentex Binomial name Dentex dentex (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution map Synonyms[2] Dentex vulgaris Valenciennes, 1830 Sparus dentex Linnaeus, 1758

The **common dentex** (***Dentex dentex***) is a species of marine [ray-finned fish](/source/Ray-finned_fish) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Sparidae](/source/Sparidae), which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a highly valued food fish and is an important target species for fisheries and the population has shown large declines leading the [International Union for Conservation of Nature](/source/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Nature) to classify its conservation status as Vulnerable.

## Taxonomy

The common dentex was first formally [described](/source/Species_description) as *Sparus dentex* by [Carl Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus) in the 10th edition of his *[Systema Naturae](/source/Systema_Naturae)*. Linnaeus gave [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) as the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.[3] In 1814 [Georges Cuvier](/source/Georges_Cuvier) proposed the [genus](/source/Genus) *[Dentex](/source/Dentex)* with *Sparus dentex* as the [type species](/source/Type_species) by absolute [tautonymy](/source/Tautonym).[4] The genus *Dentex* is placed in the family Sparidae within the [order](/source/Order_(biology)) [Spariformes](/source/Spariformes) by the 5th edition of *[Fishes of the World](/source/Fishes_of_the_World)*.[5] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Denticinae,[6] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae.[5]

## Etymology

The common dentex has the [binomial](/source/Binomial_nomenclature) *Dentex dentex* which is a tautonym. *Dentex* means "with large teeth", an allusion to the rows of [canine](/source/Canine_(tooth))-like teeth with the outermost row being the biggest and those in the front of the jaws being the most enlarged.[7]

## Description

The common dentex has the [dorsal fin](/source/Dorsal_fin) supported by 11 spines, the spines increase in length from the first to the fourth or fifth and then are roughly equal in length from spine 6 to 12, and 11 or 12 soft rays while the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin) has 3 spines and between 7 and 9 soft rays supporting it.[8] The body is oval shaped and compressed.[9] The dorsal profile of the head is smoothly rounded in adults but nearly straight in juveniles and is slightly convex in the largest specimens. The eyes are small and the space below them is wide. The cheeks are scaled as is the [preoperculum](/source/Preoperculum) except for its rear edge. The mouth is positioned low on the head and is slightly upward pointing. There are a number of rows of teeth, all are canine-like, with the most well-developed being in the front of the jaws. The young fishes are greyish with black spots on the back and upper flanks, changing to pink as they mature and the oldest specimens are bluish-grey with the dark spots fading and becoming more indistinct.[8] The maximum published [total length](/source/Total_length) of the common dentex is 100 cm (39 in), although 50 cm (20 in) is more typical and the maximum published weight is 14.3 kg (32 lb).[2]

## Distribution and habitat

The common dentex is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean between the [Bay of Biscay](/source/Bay_of_Biscay) and [Ras Nouadhibouin](/source/Ras_Nouadhibou) Mauritania, as well as the [Canaries](/source/Canary_Islands) and [Madeira](/source/Madeira). It is rare as far north as the [British Isles](/source/British_Isles). It is also found throughout the Mediterranean Sea and into the western [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea).[1] This is a [benthopelagic fish](/source/Benthopelagic_fish) found at depths down to 200 m (660 ft), although commonest at 15 to 50 m (49 to 164 ft), over rocky substrates in inshore waters.[8]

## Biology

The common dentex is an active predator, feeding on other fish, [mollusca](/source/Mollusca) and [cephalopods](/source/Cephalopod). It is solitary for most of the year, but during reproduction it lives in groups for some weeks: fully-grown dentex stay together just two to three weeks during spring in the warmer water near the surface.[2] A study off [Mallorca](/source/Mallorca) found that males and females showed no differences in size, that spawning occurred in Spring and that both males and females reached sexual maturity at 2 to 4 years old.[10] Most common dentex are [gonochoristic](/source/Gonochoristic) but hermaphroditism has been recorded.[8] The adults tend to be solitary when not spawning while the juveniles aggregate in [schools](/source/Shoaling_and_schooling).[2]

## Fisheries and conservation

The common dentex is a highly valued food fish with a high commercial value and it has a life history which makes it vulnerable to [overfishing](/source/Overfishing), i.e. it is long-lived, slow-growing and is large bodied. In the Mediterranean its abundance increases within [marine protected areas](/source/Marine_protected_area) but it is scarce outside of these areas. Landings of common dentex increased drastically in the 1970s and 1980s before falling by 30% in the 1990s. The catches in the Mediterranean and West Africa decreased by 37% and 70%, respectively. Overall the total population for this species has been estimated to have declined by over 30% over the three generations (equivalent to 36 years) up to 2009 and the [IUCN](/source/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Nature) classifies this species as [Vulnerable](/source/Vulnerable_species).[1] This species is caught using bottom [trawls](/source/Trawling), [lines](/source/Longline_fishing), [fish traps](/source/Fish_trap) and sometimes [trammel nets](/source/Trammel_net).[8] It is a popular sport fish for recreational anglers too. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Spain have reported producing this fish in [aquaculture](/source/Aquaculture) to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ([FAO](/source/FAO)).[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-3) [Carpenter, K.E.](/source/Kent_E._Carpenter) & Russell, B. (2014). ["*Dentex dentex*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170245/1300534). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2014** e.T170245A1300534. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170245A1300534.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170245A1300534.en). Retrieved 16 January 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-3) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["*Dentex dentex*"](https://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Dentex&speciesname=dentex). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. October 2023 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF_3-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Dentex*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Dentex). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 16 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF2_4-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Genera in the family Sparidae"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=genus&family=Sparidae). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 16 January 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_5-1) [Nelson, J.S.](/source/Joseph_S._Nelson); Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). *Fishes of the World* (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: [John Wiley & Sons](/source/John_Wiley_%26_Sons). pp. 502–506. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/9781119174844](https://doi.org/10.1002%2F9781119174844). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-118-34233-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-118-34233-6). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2015037522](https://lccn.loc.gov/2015037522). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [951899884](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/951899884). [OL](/source/OL_(identifier)) [25909650M](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25909650M).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Parenti_6-0)** Parenti, P. (2019). ["An annotated checklist of the fishes of the family Sparidae"](https://fishtaxa.com/menuscript/index.php/ft/article/view/49/52). *FishTaxa*. **4** (2): 47–98.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ETYFish_7-0)** ["Order SPARIFORMES: Families LETHRINIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE and SPARIDAE"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231030165034/https://etyfish.org/spariformes/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. Christopher Scharpf. 22 December 2023. Archived from [the original](https://etyfish.org/spariformes/) on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FAO_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FAO_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FAO_8-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FAO_8-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FAO_8-4) ["Species Fact Sheets *Dentex dentex* (Linnaeus, 1758)"](https://www.fao.org/figis/pdf/fishery/species/3182/en?title=FAO%20Fisheries%20%26%20Aquaculture%20-%20Species%20Fact%20Sheets%20-%20Dentex%20dentex%20(Linnaeus%2C%201758)). FAO. Retrieved 16 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-EU_9-0)** ["*Dentex dentex*"](https://fish-commercial-names.ec.europa.eu/fish-names/species/dentex-dentex_en). European Union. Retrieved 16 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Morales-Nin_10-0)** Beatriz Morales-Nin; Joan Moranta (1997). "Life history and fishery of the common dentex (*Dentex dentex*) in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean)". *Fisheries Research*. **30** (1–2): 67–76. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/S0165-7836(96)00560-7](https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0165-7836%2896%2900560-7).

## Further reading

- Louisy, Patrick (2006). Trainito, Egidio (ed.). *Guida all'identificazione dei pesci marini d'Europa e del Mediterraneo*. Milan: Il Castello. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [88-8039-472-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/88-8039-472-X).

## External links

- Photos of [Common dentex](https://sealifecollection.org/taxon/273962) in the Sealife Collection

Taxon identifiers Dentex dentex Wikidata: Q143503 Wikispecies: Dentex dentex ADW: Dentex_dentex BOLD: 86787 CoL: 34TT8 EoL: 205454 EUNIS: 124140 FishBase: 439 GBIF: 2392679 iNaturalist: 118654 IRMNG: 11041928 ITIS: 169224 IUCN: 170245 NBN: NBNSYS0000181198 NCBI: 94951 Observation.org: 186158 OBIS: 273962 Open Tree of Life: 759888 Plazi: DBBD87B4-59C5-8880-DC8C-098983E4DCFB WoRMS: 273962 ZooBank: 3AD1BF33-0F8D-492B-BB81-7D77AEBC41E8

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