The Blackspot Seabream is one of the most select and expensive fish of the Sparidae family in the Mediterranean. It is a close relative of the Common Pandora and the Axillary Seabream, but it differs significantly in its lifestyle because it is a fish of deep waters. The body is stubby and deep, with a silver colour that darkens to grey on the back and pink on the sides.

The most striking feature is its enormous and disproportionately large eyes. These adaptations allow the fish to exploit the minimal light in the great depths where it lives. Another defining characteristic for its identification is the bold black spot located exactly behind the head and above the base of the pectoral fin. This spot is very characteristic, although it can sometimes fade in very large and old individuals.

It is a benthopelagic species that lives and moves near the seabed. The fish prefers bottoms with rich relief, such as rocky slopes and mixed ground, as well as sandy areas with mud. The depth at which it is encountered is much greater than that of other family members, usually ranging from 100 to 400 metres, while large individuals have been recorded even at 700 metres. Young individuals live in shallower coastal waters for protection and migrate to deeper waters as they reach adulthood.

The Blackspot Seabream can reach a fairly large size. The common length of capture is 25 to 35 centimetres. However, it can reach a maximum length of 70 centimetres and a weight of over 4 kilograms, although such sizes are now rare due to intensive fishing.

The species is an omnivorous fish with a clear preference for carnivory. Its diet is varied and adapted to life in the depths. It feeds mainly on benthic and pelagic invertebrates, such as deep-water shrimp, crabs, polychaete worms, and squid. Larger individuals also hunt small fish that live in the same environment.

The Blackspot Seabream is a protogynous hermaphrodite species. This means that the fish are born as females and reach sexual maturity at approximately the third or fourth year of life. Later, usually after the age of five years, and when they reach a size of 25 to 30 centimetres, many of them change sex and transform into males. Reproduction takes place during the winter months and the spring, usually from January to May, when the fish move to slightly shallower waters at the edge of the continental shelf.

It is considered one of the most valuable catches in the Mediterranean with very high commercial value. The fish is mainly caught by professionals using specialised deep-water longlines and handlines. The meat is of exceptional quality, white and soft, with a rich flavour, and is ideal for grilling over charcoal or for soup. Due to its slow growth and high demand, it is protected by European legislation, which sets a minimum catch size of 33 centimetres for specific areas such as the Strait of Gibraltar. However, smaller limits often apply in the Mediterranean, depending on the region.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Blackspot Seabream globally as Near Threatened because its stocks have significantly decreased in the Atlantic. In the Mediterranean, the situation is better, but it remains a species under pressure. Scientific studies have shown that it is a slow-growing fish with a long life that can exceed 15 years. It has also been established that its populations are vulnerable to overfishing because the capture of large individuals disproportionately removes males from the population, disrupting reproductive processes.