Fin's Fish Guide
The Blacktail comber (Serranus atricauda) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 43 cm.
Eastern Atlantic around the Macaronesian islands and along Northwest Africa, above rocks and mixed bottoms.
Description
The blacktail comber is a sturdy sea perch of the family Serranidae reaching about 43 cm. The brownish body bears several dark cross-bars and a conspicuously dark tail, from which the species takes its name. It lives over rocks and mixed bottoms of the eastern Atlantic around the Macaronesian islands, such as the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries, and along north-western Africa. As a territorial ambush hunter it seizes small fish, crustaceans and squid. Like its relative the painted comber it is a simultaneous hermaphrodite: each individual carries both male and female organs at once. The blacktail comber is a much-caught pan and sport fish around the Atlantic islands.
Frequently asked questions
How do you recognise the Blacktail comber?
The Blacktail comber has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a vertical stripes pattern. Sturdy comber with dark vertical bars and a dark tail; simultaneous hermaphrodite that lives as an ambush predator.
Where does the Blacktail comber live?
The Blacktail comber lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Eastern Atlantic around the Macaronesian islands and along Northwest Africa, above rocks and mixed bottoms.
How big does the Blacktail comber get?
The Blacktail comber grows to a maximum of about 43 cm. On average the species is around 25 cm.
Is the Blacktail comber dangerous to humans?
No, the Blacktail comber is harmless to humans. None required: this species is harmless to humans.
Is the Blacktail comber edible?
Yes, the Blacktail comber is commonly eaten.
More photos
Easily confused with
These species look like the Blacktail comber and live in the same waters.
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All data
Identification
Appearance
Habitat & distribution
Behaviour & biology
For anglers
Safety
Status & sources
Same genus Serranus
More from the family Serranidae
Want the complete picture on the Blacktail comber?
Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Blacktail comber is one of 12,519 species in the app.