It is a fish with a high, oval-shaped body, the back is brown, the sides are silvery with 7-9 golden stripes and with a black spot on the back of the head and another on the tail.
Normally, it lives on the seabed and near the coast on sand and rocks at a depth of 0 to 30 m. It feeds on crustaceans, worms and molluscs.
It is a fish that can attain a length of around 20 cm, although it can reach 45 cm.
Its spawning season is in the autumn.
It is captured with different gear: Dragnet, trammel, fixed gillnets and longline.
A white fish with a tasty and highly appreciated meat; it has a low fat content and is rich in minerals.