The open sea of the Adriatic

The area of the open sea is a habitat for many sea organisms divided into two separate groups: the plankton and the nekton. In our aquarium, you can more closely observe the common inhabitants of the pelagic zone, such as the smooth-hound, the greater amberjack, the common stingray and the leerfish.

Smooth-hound

Mustelus sp.

It lives in the entire Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, where it is often under threat due to being caught unintentionally. ⓘ

Common stingray

Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus, 1758)

The common stingray is a cartilaginous fish from the Dasyatidae family, with a sharp spine on its tail which has a venomous gland at its basis. ⓘ

Thornback ray

Raja clavata Linnaeus, 1758

It is the best-known ray living in the Mediterranean; it has a diamond-shaped body and large spines on its back and tail. ⓘ

Greater amberjack

Seriola dumerili Risso, 1810

The greater amberjack is a thermophilic type of fish, which stays in the deeper parts of the open sea during winter. As warmer weather approaches, it moves to the shallower waters of the coastal areas. ⓘ

Red porgy

Pagrus pagrus Linneaus, 1758

The red porgy looks similar to the common dentex and the common pandora. It lives in the entire Adriatic Sea but is most commonly found in its central and southern parts. ⓘ

Mediterranean horse mackerel

Trachurus trachurus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Mediterranean horse mackerel is a type of fish that lives in brackish and sub-tropical waters; adult specimens most commonly live near the sea floor. ⓘ