Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus 1758) —Black seabream

Taxonomy. First record from Lebanon as Cantharus griseus, C.V. by Gruvel (1931: 93); subsequently recorded as Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus 1758) by George et al. (1964: 18); as Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus) by Mouneimné (1977: 64); as Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus 1758) by Mouneimné (2002: 176–177); recently recorded as Spondyliosoma cantharus by Harmelin-Vivien et al. (2005: 629). Material in collection: AUBM and USNM.

Distribution. Western Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, Black Sea, eastern Atlantic: Norway south to Namibia, including Madeira, Canary and Cape Verde Islands.

Conservation. IUCN: Global (LC: 18 August 2009); Med. (LC: 15 November 2007). Capture and threats: FIT, unknown. Occurrence: Rare. Significant decline in the last two decades. Medium priority for conservation action .