Red steenbras (Petrus rupestris)

Scientific name: Petrus rupestris Valenciennes, 1830

Red steenbras (Petrus rupestris)

The Red steenbras (Petrus rupestris) is a brackish-water fish of the family Sparidae. Native range: Southeast Atlantic, Mossel Bay to Natal in South Africa.

Biology

Found near rocky banks in coastal waters including estuaries. Adults solitary and territorial. Feeds on octopus, crabs and fish, especially Spondyliosoma. The flesh is highly esteemed, but the liver is poisonous due to high vitamin A content which causes hypervitaminosis. Popular angling fish. Largest of the porgies.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Petrus rupestris
Family
Sparidae (Porgies)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
200
Common length
100.0
Depth range
10 m (33 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 10 - ? m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Southeast Atlantic: Mossel Bay to Natal in South Africa.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Poisonous to eat
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.08; tm=5-7; tmax=30;)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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