The Sargo as it is known in Spanish, is an oily, saltwater fish. They usually live near the coast, among rocks and on the sandy bottom. They live from a depth of less than one metre to more than fifty metres, although they usually live from two to twenty metres where there is abundant light and a large quantity of nutrients. Its body is oval and laterally compressed. The head is slightly arched, the mouth is small and slightly protractile, with 8 incisors in each jaw (sometimes 10 in theupper jaw), behind which are 2 rows of molars.The colour is silvery-grey, white on the ventral area and on the sides they have between 8 and 12 vertical black bands, as well as a very marked black spot on the caudal peduncle.  Their usual size ranges from 15 to 45 cm.