black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Synonyms: None.
Trachinus draco (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common names: Engl: Greater weever; Bulg: Morski drakon; Russ: Morskoy
drakon; Turk: Trakonya.
Order PERCIFORMES
Family TRACHINIDAE
Taxonomic description. D V-VII 28-32; AII 27-31; P 14-17; V15. Scales in
lateral series 77-85. Vertebrae 40-41 (Svetovidov, 1964). Body elongated, laterally
compressed. Eyes disposed dorsally, interorbital distance very small. Size up to
40 cm.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level:
Subregion level: CE
Distribution. Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black Sea, eastern Atlantic from Norway to
Morocco and Madeira (Tortonese, 1986). In Bulgaria rare along the entire coast.
Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. Littoral and benthic; on sandy,
muddy or gravel bottoms. Sensitive to hydro-chemical regime.
Biology. Reproduction: June-September; eggs and larval stages pelagic. Food: small
invertebrates and fishes.
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