Scuba Diving in Spain - Marine Life

This isn't - by any means - a complete guide to the marine life you will find in Spain. All of the creatures shown below are included in the FishBase database. If you'de like a more portable reference then we highly recommend Sea Fishes and Invertebrates of the Mediterranean

Rainbow Wrasse

Coris julis

Doncella

Occurs in the littoral zone, near rocks and eelgrass beds. Usually found between 1-60 m, but old males stay in deeper water. Found in deeper waters during winter. Sometimes solitary, among rocks, often with numerous specimens in its immediate vicinity. Buries itself in sand at night or when frightened. Feeds on small gastropods, sea urchins, shrimps, worms, isopods and amphipods. Sexually mature when 1 year old. Protogynous species; females change sex to become males; specimen above 18 cm length are all males

Cardinal Fish

Apogon imberbis

Moll reial

Occasionally forms schools; sometimes solitary. Inhabits muddy or rocky bottoms and caves. Feeds on small invertebrates and fishes

Sand Smelt

Atherina hepsetus

Pejerrey

Littoral, often near shore. Gregarious, sometimes occurs in marine lagoons (France) and estuaries (Portugal). Feed on pelagic copepods and benthic crustaceans

Garpike

Belone belone

Guya

Lives close to the surface and has a migratory pattern similar to the mackerel . Leaps out of the water when hooked. Utilized fresh and frozen; can be fried, broiled and baked

Butterfly Blenny

Blennius ocellaris

Purillos

Found over hard bottoms. Mainly nocturnal, it feeds on small invertebrates. Reproduces in April (Marseille) or July (England); eggs are laid under mussel-shells or stones and guarded by the male

Molly Miller

Scartella cristata

Inhabit shallow rocky areas and tide pools. Hide in empty Strombus gigas shells .

Bluerunner

Caranx crysos

Jurel azul

A schooling species generally not far from the coast

Crevalle Jack

Caranx hippos

Jurel caballo

Generally in neritic waters over the continental shelf . Often grunts or croaks when caught

pilot Fish

Naucrates ductor

Pez piloto

Oceanic species with a semi-obligate commensal relationship with sharks, rays, other bony fishes and turtles

White Trevally

Pseudocaranx dentex

Jurel dorado

Occur in bays and coastal waters, including estuaries

Bandtooth Conga

Ariosoma balearicum

Varga

Found on the shelf, littoral, burrowing in galleries on sandy mud bottoms. Carnivorous.

Goldsinny Wrasse

Ctenolabrus rupestris

Tabernero

On rocky, weed-covered shores (1-50 m); larger specimens deeper than young. Feeds on bryozoans, crustaceans and gastropods

Ballan Wrasse

Labrus bergylta

Durdo

Littoral (10-20 m) around rocks, offshore reefs, and seaweed. Young often in intertidal areas. All are born females and change sex when they are 4-14 years old

Brown Wrasse

Labrus merula

Merlo

Found around rocks and seaweeds. Sometime schooling, more solitary when older. Feeds on sea urchins, ophiuroids, mollusks, crabs and worms. Mature when 2 years old (15-20 cm). Spawns during February to May in western Mediterranean

Cuckoo Wrasse

Labrus mixtus

Gallano

Littoral from 2-200 m, mainly 40-80 m. Usually solitary or in pairs with young. Nest of algae in seaweed. Feeds mainly on crustaceans but also fishes and mollusks

Tort

Symphodus melanocercus

Tort

Occurs in the littoral zone, in rocky areas and seagrass beds. Acts as "cleaner". Feeds on worms, small amphipods, copepods, bryozoans and hydrozoans

Corkwing Wrasse

Symphodus melops

Bello

This schooling, territorial fish occurs in the littoral zone, near rocks and eel-grass beds, also in lagoons. In summer ripe females show short ovipositor. Seaweed nest built by male among rocks or in crevices. Sex reversal sometimes observed. Feeds on mollusks, hydroids, bryozoans, worms and various crustaceans

Tordo

Symphodus ocellatus

Tordo

Found near rocks and eel-grass beds. A nest of seaweed (Cystoseria) built and kept by male. Feeds on bryozoans, hydroids, tubicolous, worms, shrimps, amphipods and mollusks

Mediterranean Moray

Muraena helena

Morena mediterránea

A nocturnal and territorial species

Serpent Eel

Ophisurus serpens

Culebra de mar

Inhabiting the continental shelf on sand or mud bottom

Swallowtail Seaperch

Anthias anthias

Forcadella

Lives amongst rocks, gravel, coral and in submarine caves on the continental shelf and upper slope. Nocturnal. Feeds on crustaceans and small fishes. Protogynous

Dusky Grouper

Epinephelus marginatus

Mero

Prefers rocky bottoms

Zebra Seabream

Diplodus cervinus cervinus

Sarg imperial

Benthopelagic on the shelf, on rocky bottoms from 30 to 80 m depth, but may also occur down to 300 m on muddy bottoms. Forms schools of 4 or 5 individuals of different sizes. Omnivorous, feeds on small invertebrates and seaweeds

Grey Triggerfish

Balistes capriscus

Inhabits bays, harbors, lagoons, and seaward reefs .

Black Gobi

Gobius niger

Gobi d'alga

Found in estuaries, lagoons and inshore waters over sand or mud, in seagrass or on algae. Feeds on crustaceans (larger amphipods, isopods, shrimps, mysids, small crabs), bivalves, gastropods, polychaetes, chironomid larvae, sometimes small fish .

Red Mouthed Goby

Gobius cruentatus

Gobit

Found inshore, on rocks, sand and sea-grass meadows .

Chestnut Goby

Chromogobius quadrivittatus

Gobio barreado

Occurs in shallow inshore waters, under stones or between weed tufts. Also found in mid-tide pools. Feeds on small decapods and amphipod crustaceans .

Golden Goby

Gobius auratus

Gobio dorado

Occurs in deeper inshore waters; over rocky substrates with algae and gorgonians .

Tompot Blenny

Parablennius gattorugine

Rabosa

Active mainly during dusk and dawn

Rusty Blenny

Parablennius sanguinolentus

Lagartina

A resident intertidal species with homing behavior found between pebbles or at margins of steep, filamentous algae-covered rocks exposed to sunlight. Makes underwater 'flight' over long distances. Feeds almost exclusively on algae. Spawns from May to July