# Pagrus

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Genus of fishes

Pagrus Temporal range: Early Miocene–present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Pagrus pagrus Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Sparidae Genus: Pagrus Cuvier, 1816 Type species Sparus pagrus Linnaeus, 1758[1] Synonyms[1] Semapagrus Fowler, 1925

[Red seabream](/source/Pagrus_major) (*Pagrus major*)

Australasian snapper

Red porgy

***Pagrus*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of marine [ray-finned fishes](/source/Ray-finned_fish) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Sparidae](/source/Sparidae), which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the Western Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. They are esteemed food fishes which are targeted by commercial fisheries and are grown in aquaculture.

## Taxonomy

*Pagrus* was first proposed as a genus in 1816 by the French [zoologist](/source/Zoologist) [Georges Cuvier](/source/Georges_Cuvier) with *Sparus pagrus* as its [type species](/source/Type_species) by absolute [tautonymy](/source/Tautonym),[1] *Sparus pagrus* was first [described](/source/Species_description) by [Carl Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus) in the [10th edition of *Systema Naturae*](/source/10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae) with its [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given as the Mediterranean Sea of southern Europe.[2] This genus 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)*.[3] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Sparinae,[4] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae.[3]

## Species

*Pagrus* contains at least five described [species](/source/Species):[5]

- *[Pagrus africanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagrus_africanus&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Akazaki](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Masato_Akazaki&action=edit&redlink=1), 1962) (Southern common seabream)

- *[Pagrus auriga](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagrus_auriga&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Valenciennes](/source/Achille_Valenciennes), 1843) (Redbanded seabream )

- *[Pagrus caeruleostictus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagrus_caeruleostictus&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Valenciennes, 1830) (Bluespotted seabream)

- *[Pagrus major](/source/Pagrus_major)* ([Temminck](/source/Coenraad_Jacob_Temminck) & [Schlegel](/source/Hermann_Schlegel), 1843) (Red seabream )

- *[Pagrus pagrus](/source/Pagrus_pagrus)* ([Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus), 1758) (Common seabream or red porgy)

The species *[Pagrus auratus](/source/Australasian_snapper)*, formerly placed in this genus, is now placed by *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)* in the [monospecific genus](/source/Monospecific_genus) *[Chrysophrys](/source/Chrysophrys)* [Quoy](/source/Jean_Ren%C3%A9_Constant_Quoy) & [Gaimard](/source/Joseph_Paul_Gaimard), 1824.[2] This is not followed by *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*[5] but is accepted by other authorities.[4][6]

The following fossil species are also known:

- †*[Pagrus cinctus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagrus_cinctus&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Agassiz](/source/Louis_Agassiz), 1839) - [Early Miocene](/source/Early_Miocene) to [Pliocene](/source/Pliocene) of Spain, France, Algeria, Libya, Malta, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Ukraine[7]

- †*[Pagrus hyneus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagrus_hyneus&action=edit&redlink=1)* Purdy *et al*., 2001 - [Early Pliocene](/source/Zanclean) of North Carolina, US[8]

## Etymology

*Pagrus* is tautonymous from *Sparus pagrus*, the name *pagrus* comes from a [Greek](/source/Greek_language) word for seabreams that dates at least to the time of [Aristotle](/source/Aristotle).[9]

## Characteristics

*Pagrus* seabreams are characterised by having oblong, compressed bodies with deep heads which have rounded dorsal profiles. The rear nostril is oblong, the front nostril is a slit. The moderately protrusible mouth is small, horizontal and the end of the maxilla is overlapped by the suborbital bone. There are two rows of teeth in the jaws, the front row is made up of between 6 and 6 sharp, [canine-like](/source/Canine_(tooth)) teeth with [molar](/source/Molar_(tooth))-like teeth to the rear of them. The margin of the [preoperculum](/source/Preoperculum) is smooth. The [dorsal fin](/source/Dorsal_fin) is low and is supported by 12 spines while the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin) is short-based and is supported by 3 short spines and 8 soft rays> The long [pectoral fins](/source/Pectoral_fin) are clearly longer than the [pelvic fins](/source/Pelvic_fin). The cheeks and [gill covers](/source/Gill_cover) are scaled but there are no scales on the snout or between the eyes and the mouth. There are between 48 and 60 scales in the [lateral line](/source/Lateral_line) and there no large blotch at its origin.[10][11] The largest species in the genus is *P. auratus* with a maximum published [total length](/source/Total_length) of 130 cm (51 in), while the smallest is *P. africanus* with a maximum published total length of 75 cm (30 in).[5]

## Distribution and habitat

*Pagrus* seabreams are found in the Atlantic Ocean, where *P. pagrus* occurs on both sides of the Ocean and in the Mediterranean, while the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea have two other native species, *P. auriga* and *P. caeruleostictus*. *P. africanus* is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off West Africa. The remaining two species are found in the Western Pacific Ocean.[5] However, *P. major* has been introduced into the Mediterranean probably as a result of escapes from [aquaculture](/source/Aquaculture).[12] These fishes prefer hard bottoms but may be found in estuaries.[11]

## Biology

*Pagrus* seabreams are carnivores, using their crushing molars to feed on molluscs and crustaceans but they have also been found to eat softer bodied prey such as cephalopods and fishes.[11] *P. pagrus* and *P. caeruleostictus* are at least partial [protogynous hermaphrodites](/source/Protogynous_hermaphrodite).[13][14]

## Fisheries

*Pagrus* seabreams are valued as food fishes, as well as being used to produce fish meal and fish oil, and are targeted by fisheries wherever they occur. They are also used in aquaculture in both Japan[15] and the Mediterranean.[12]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CofF_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CofF_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CofF_1-2) 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 7 February 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CofF2_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CofF2_2-1) Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Pagrus*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Pagrus). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 7 February 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_3-1) [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. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Parenti_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Parenti_4-1) 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. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_5-3) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["Species in genus *Pagrus*"](https://www.fishbase.org/identification/SpeciesList.php?genus=Pagrus). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. October 2023 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FofA_6-0)** Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. (2022). ["*Chrysophrys*"](https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/genus/1069). *Fishes of Australia*. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 7 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Šoster, A.; Kovalchuk, O. M. (2016-10-01). ["Late Neogene and Pleistocene Porgy Fishes (Teleostei, Sparidae) of the Eastern Paratethys, with Comments on their Palaeoecology"](http://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/vzoo/50/5/article-p415.xml). *Vestnik Zoologii*. **50** (5): 415–422. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1515/vzoo-2016-0048](https://doi.org/10.1515%2Fvzoo-2016-0048). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2073-2333](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2073-2333).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Purdy, Robert W.; Schneider, Vincent P.; Applegate, Shelton P.; McLellan, Jack H.; Meyer, Robert L.; Slaughter, Bob H. (2001). ["The Neogene Sharks, Rays, and Bony Fishes from Lee Creek Mine, Aurora, North Carolina"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/351984). *Biodiversity Heritage Library*. Retrieved 2025-09-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ETYFish_9-0)** Christopher Scharpf (12 January 2024). ["Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 6): Families GERREIDAE, LETHRINIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE and SPARIDAE"](https://etyfish.org/acanthuriformes6/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 7 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-STRI_10-0)** ["Genus: Pagrus, Porgies, Red Porgy"](https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/taxon/3759). *Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system*. [Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute](/source/Smithsonian_Tropical_Research_Institute). Retrieved 8 February 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FAO_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FAO_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FAO_11-2) [Kent E. Carpenter](/source/Kent_E._Carpenter) (2016). "Sparidae". In Carpenter, K.E. and De Angelis, N. (eds.). [*The living marine resources of the Eastern Central Atlantic Volume 2 Bony fishes part 2 (Perciformes to Tetradontiformes) and Sea turtles*](https://www.fao.org/3/i5715e/i5715e.pdf) (PDF). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Rome: FAO. pp. 2567–2620. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-92-5-109267-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-92-5-109267-5).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kampouris_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kampouris_12-1) Thodoros E. Kampouris; Panagiotis S. Economidis; and Ioannis E. Batjakas (2020). "First record of *Pagrus major* (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) (Perciformes: Sparidae) from east Mediterranean Sea and the northernmost Mediterranean record of Por's goatfish *Upeneus pori* Ben-Tuvia & Golani, 1989 (Perciformes: Mullidae) from Thermaikos Gulf, NorthWest Aegean Sea, Greece". *Cahiers de Biologie Marine*. **61**: 253–258. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.21411/CBM.A.F4BCFF17](https://doi.org/10.21411%2FCBM.A.F4BCFF17).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Rania_13-0)** Rania F. Ismail; Mona M. Mourad; Mahmoud M.S. Farrag (2018). ["Gonadal development and hermaphroditism of bluespotted seabream, *Pagrus caeruleostictus* (Valenciennes, 1830) from the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ejar.2018.05.003). *The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research*. **44** (2): 163–171. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2018EgJAR..44..163I](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018EgJAR..44..163I). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ejar.2018.05.003](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ejar.2018.05.003). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1687-4285](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1687-4285).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NOAA_14-0)** Charles S. Manooch III and William W. Hassler (1978). [Synopsis of Biological Data on the Red Porgy, *Pagrus pagrus* (Linnaeus)](https://www.fao.org/3/ap922e/ap922e.pdf) (PDF) (Report). NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Kato_15-0)** Kato, K. (2023). ["Breeding studies on red sea bream *Pagrus major*: mass selection to genome editing"](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12562-022-01668-0). *Fisheries Science*. **89** (2): 103–119. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2023FisSc..89..103K](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023FisSc..89..103K). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/s12562-022-01668-0](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12562-022-01668-0).

Taxon identifiers Pagrus Wikidata: Q432412 Wikispecies: Pagrus ADW: Pagrus BOLD: 3472 CoL: KVN77 GBIF: 2374952 iNaturalist: 90612 ITIS: 169206 NBN: NHMSYS0020930329 NCBI: 8172 NZOR: f88c1204-0684-4145-9c8b-701e276f9d4f Open Tree of Life: 760711 Paleobiology Database: 36109 WoRMS: 126080

Authority control databases National Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pagrus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagrus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagrus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.