Axillary Seabream

Pagellus acarne has a moderately laterally flattened, fusiform body with a concave dorsal profile to the head above the eyes, a flat space between the eyes and a conical snout. The scales on the crown extend to are past a line equal to the rear edge of the eye. There are scales on the cheeks but the preoperculum is naked. The mouth is horizontal and has fleshy lips. Each jaw has pointed teeth at the front with molar-like teeth at the rear of the jaws with a band of numerous comb-like teeth immediately behind the front row of pointed teeth. There are 12 or 13 spines and between 10 and 12 soft rays supporting the dorsal fin while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 9 or 10 soft rays. The rearmost ray in each fin is clearly more robust than the others.

Pagellus acarne is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles and Denmark, where it is rare in both regions, south through the Bay of Biscay and Atlantic coast of Iberia to Senegal, including Madeira, Canary Islands, Azores and Cape Verde. It also occurs throughout the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Marmara but is absent from the Black Sea. This demersal species occurs at depths between 0 and 500 m (0 and 1,640 ft), commonest between 40 and 100 m (130 and 330 ft), on a variety of substrates and in seagrass beds.

Pagellus acarne is an important species in commercial fisheries throughout its range. In the Algarve, Azores and Canary Islands it is the main target species for small-scale commercial fisheries. It is also regarded as a highly value resource in the Mediterranean. In Andalucia, the stocks of axillary seabreams in the Alboran Sea are targeted by multi-species fisheries, both bottom-trawl and artisanal fleets being involved. It is regarded as the most economically important demersal fish in this fishery in terms of both monetary value and volume landed. As well as being sold as a food fish the catch is also used to make fish meal and fish oil.