The salema, also known as the salema porgy, has bright yellow stripes that run longitudinally along its body.

The salema is a silvery-gray fish characterized by about ten fine, bright yellow stripes running along its entire body. A black spot marks the base of the salema’s pectoral fins.

The salema typically measures around 12 inches in length, with a maximum size of 22 inches.

The salema has an oval, laterally compressed body with a small mouth and striking golden-yellow eyes.

The salema is primarily found in the waters of the Mediterranean sea as well as the eastern part of the Atlantic ocean, such as the mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, along the coast of the Bay of Biscay and near the Canary islands and Madeira.

The salema is a social fish that dislikes solitude and lives mainly in schools. It inhabits shallow, well-lit coastal waters where its primary food sources, algae and Posidonia seagrass beds, grow. Schools of adult salema can also be found swimming in open water.

The salema is primarily herbivorous, grazing on algae found on the surface of rocks, Posidonia leaves or other marine algae.

The salema is a hermaphroditic fish that changes sex with age and reproduces in spring and fall.

Salema play an important role in maintaining the balance of coastal marine ecosystems by regulating the growth of algae populations.

Consuming salema can cause hallucinations likely due to the ingestion of toxic algae at certain times of the year.

The salema is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The salema appears in the IUCN Red List since 2014 within the category Least Concern !

A school of salema is not easily approached and will flee at the slightest detected presence.