Common Dentex Dentex dentex)

The Dentex is an very fast swimmer and active predator, feeding on other fish, mollusca and cephalopods. It is solitary for most of the year, but during reproduction it lives in groups for some weeks.

The tip of the head has a clearly visible prominence due to a remarkably developed supra-occipital crest. The eyes are large and protruding. The horizontal mouth is quite small compared to the body size. Its jaw is characterised by robust teeth of various shapes; the fore teeth end in a hooked shape, whilst the others are sharp. The essential function is to hold the prey, rather than to chew it. When the mouth is closed, the front teeth jut out from the lip, hense he name dentex.