Inhabiting the sandy, muddy shorelines of the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Atlantic, the Marlin (Lithognathus mormyrus) attracts attention with its distinctive striped structure. A member of the Sparidae family, this fish species plays an important role in nature and has an economic value in terms of fisheries. Thanks to its eye-catching stripes and calm nature, it is often exhibited in large aquarium complexes such as Emaar Aquarium and offers visitors information about natural life.
What is a Crawfish?
Sparus aurata is commonly called “sea bream” or colloquially “sea bream”. Its English equivalent is “Gilt-head bream”. It gets its name from the shiny golden yellow stripe on its forehead, which is an important physical clue to distinguish it from similar species. The body structure is oval and flattened from the sides; the general coloration is bright silvery. The average length varies between 20-35 cm, but individuals can reach up to 70 cm in their natural habitat.
Place in the Family Sparidae
Scientifically named Lithognathus mormyrus, this species is commonly known as “Mırmır” in Turkey. Due to its striped body, it is sometimes referred to as “Striped Coral”. In English sources, it is referred to as “Striped Seabream” or “Sand Steenbras”. Its body, which is usually silvery gray, has 14-15 dark vertical stripes extending from the head to the tail. These patterns make them visually distinctive and serve as a natural camouflage against predators.
It prefers sandy and muddy bottoms as its habitat. It can also be found in areas with seagrass meadows and sheltered areas such as estuaries. It is known for its social nature and usually travels in flocks. This species, which has dense populations near the coast, can occasionally be observed at depths above 100 meters.
Family Sparidae and the place of the Sparidae
The murre is a species of the genus Lithognathus of the family Sparidae. Within this large family, there are also species such as sea bream (Sparus aurata), sargoz (Diplodus sargus), coral (Pagellus erythrinus) and black sea bream (Diplodus vulgaris). Members of the Sparidae family are generally recognized by their oval and laterally flattened bodies, well-developed fin structures and various dentition. In this family, which includes carnivorous, herbivorous or omnivorous species, the Sparidae stands out with its bottom-feeding structure.
Physical Characteristics of the Curlew Fish
The body of the murre is oval, quite flattened from the sides. This structure both increases its swimming ability and allows it to be camouflaged in its environment. Their average length varies between 25-30 cm, but some individuals can grow up to 50 cm. The head is balanced compared to the body and the snout is slightly pointed. Its mouth is directed downwards, which allows it to feed on creatures at the bottom.
The body is covered with scales of regular size. The dorsal fin is one-piece, with spines at the front and soft rays at the back. The conical or molar-like teeth in the jaw are ideal for crushing and grinding hard crustaceans.
How Do Bream Fish Eat?
Bream feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Molluscs, crustaceans, small fish and sometimes sea plants make up its diet. Thanks to its powerful jaws, it can easily break down hard-shelled creatures such as mussels, sea urchins and small crabs. In this way, it forms an important link in the food chain in the area where it lives.
Habitat and Distribution
The murre is widespread along the coasts of the eastern Atlantic (from the Bay of Biscay to South Africa) and almost all of the Mediterranean Sea. In recent years there have been increasing reports of sightings in the southwestern parts of the Black Sea. It has also been observed in the Red Sea. It is highly selective in its habitat preference and is found especially on sandy and muddy seabeds. Seagrass areas are important areas that this species uses both to find food and to hide.
It usually inhabits shallow waters up to 50 meters, but can also be seen at depths in excess of 100 meters due to seasonal migrations or foraging. It is highly tolerant of salinity, allowing it to move into estuaries. Young individuals develop in estuaries, which are usually calmer.
Behavior and Social Structure of the Curlew
The murmuration is a species that is usually active in daylight and prefers to roam in flocks. This behavior is advantageous both for protection from predators and for using food resources more efficiently. Foraging behavior intensifies especially in the early morning and evening at sunset. It can also be active at night, especially at night when the moonlight is strong.
They search for small invertebrates by sticking their noses in the sand or by digging the ground. Seasonally they may move to shallower or deeper waters, but they do not have long-distance migratory habits. They usually move within local areas.
Feeding Habits of the Curlew
The main food of the croaker is worms and small crustaceans that live on the seafloor. Especially the Polychaeta group of marine worms dominate the diet. Amphipods, isopods, bivalve molluscs and small crabs are also frequently consumed. Its jaw structure, developed to break hard shelled creatures, gives it a great advantage in this regard.
While the diet of young individuals is dominated by smaller planktonic organisms and zooplankton (such as copepods), as the individual grows older, its diet diversifies and shifts towards larger bottom organisms. This active feeding behavior on the bottom is important for both the health of the Mırırır and the balance of the ecosystem.
How do murres reproduce?
The murre is a protandric hermaphrodite. This means that it functions as a male during the first stage of its life and transforms into a female after reaching a certain size. They usually reach sexual maturity as males around 2 years of age. After 4 years of age, or around 25-30 cm, the transformation into a female begins.
The breeding period coincides with the summer months and takes place in shallow waters close to the coast. Females lay thousands of eggs in the water, fertilization takes place in the water. The hatching larvae live a planktonic life, settling on the seafloor within a few weeks and transforming into young fish.
Ecological Role and Conservation Status
The barracuda is an important element of balance in bottom ecosystems. It maintains seafloor health by controlling populations of bottom invertebrates. It is also a food source for larger fish, birds and marine mammals.
Its interaction with humans is especially prominent in the Mediterranean region. It is one of the target species for coastal fishing and sport angling. Due to its easy catchability, hunting pressure is intense in some regions. Although it is categorized as “Least Concern (LC)” by IUCN, it is important to take regional protection measures.
Emaar Aquarium Experience
Emaar Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in Istanbul plays an important role in introducing visitors to local species such as the Mırmır. Exhibited in tanks designed to resemble its natural habitat, observing the Mırırır is a unique opportunity to discover its behavior, flock structure and diet.
Visitors have the chance to better understand the role of Mırmır in nature, while at the same time gaining awareness about biodiversity and the protection of marine life. Emaar Aquarium aims to provide a more conscious perspective on nature by offering both a fun and educational experience.
