Boops boops, commonly known as the ‘bogue‘ or ‘bogue fish‘, is a species in the family Sparidae. Its scientific name derives from Greek, where ‘boops‘ means ‘ox-eyed‘, referring to the large, prominent eyes of this fish. It is widely distributed in the eastern Atlantic waters, from Scandinavia to South Africa, and in the Mediterranean Sea. Boops boops inhabits coastal waters between 0 and 300 meters deep, though it is more commonly found in shallow areas near sandy, rocky substrates or underwater seagrass meadows of posidonia.
Morphologically, Boops boops is an elongated and laterally compressed fish that can reach a maximum length of around 36 cm, though it is more commonly between 15 and 25 cm long. Its body is silvery with an iridescent shine that helps camouflage it in the water, and it has several yellowish longitudinal lines along its sides. Its eyes are large and round, a distinctive trait that gives both its scientific and common names. Its mouth is small and forward-facing, and its dorsal and anal fins are relatively short compared to other sparids. Boops boops can be distinguished from similar species like the ‘Oblada melanura‘ (the saddled bream) by its more elongated profile and the absence of a black spot at the base of the tail fin, which is characteristic of the saddled bream.
Regarding its diet, Boops boops is an omnivorous and opportunistic species. It feeds on a wide variety of organisms depending on availability. Its diet includes small crustaceans, molluscs, worms, and other invertebrates, as well as algae and phytoplankton. During early morning and dusk, it becomes more active searching for food, moving in large schools in surface waters to feed. Its ability to adapt to different food sources allows it to thrive in various marine environments.
Reproduction in Boops boops is oviparous and occurs during spring and summer. This species exhibits an interesting reproductive behavior as a sequential hermaphrodite, meaning some individuals can change sex over their lifetime. Typically, individuals are born male and may change to female upon reaching a certain age or size. Spawning takes place in coastal waters, where females release eggs that are externally fertilized by males. The eggs float in the water column until hatching, and the planktonic larvae are carried by currents until developed enough to settle on the seabed.
An interesting fact about Boops boops is its ecological and economic importance. In the marine ecosystem, the bogue is part of the food chain, serving as prey for larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Economically, Boops boops is commonly fished in many regions of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, although its flesh is less valued than that of other sparids. Additionally, in some areas, it is used as bait to catch larger species.
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