Gilt-head bream
(Sparus aurata)
General data
Scientific names:
Gilt-head bream
Habitat:
Saltwater
Climate:
Subtropical
The gilt-head (sea) bream (Sparus aurata), called Orata in antiquity and still today in Italy, is a fish of the bream family Sparidae found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern coastal regions of the North Atlantic Ocean. It commonly reaches about 35 centimeters (1.15 ft) in length but may reach 70 cm (2.3 ft) and weigh up to about 7.36 kilograms (16.2 lb).
The gilt-head bream is generally considered the best tasting of the breams. It is the single species of the genus Sparus – the Latin name for this fish – which has given the whole family of Sparidae its name. Its specific name, aurata, derives from the gold bar marking between its eyes.
