Berlengas Islands Nature Reserve Field Guide
The Berlengas Islands Nature Reserve includes a group of rocky islands near the western coast of Portugal and their surrounding waters. This guide aims to help the curious and the visitor alike enjoy this unique place, with its rarities and endemisms.
Ocellated Lizard
The ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) (syn. Lacerta lepida) is a species of wall lizard also known as the (Portuguese: sardão, Spanish: lagarto ocelado).
Lesser Black-backed Gull
The Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. It is a regular winter visitor to the east coast of North America, probably from the breeding population in Iceland.
Yellow-legged Gull
The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), sometimes referred to as Western Yellow-legged Gull (to distinguish it from eastern populations of yellow-legged large white-headed gulls), is a large gull of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, which has only recently achieved wide recognition as a distinct species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of either the Caspian ...more ↓
Common Murre
The Common Murre or Common Guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It is also known as the Thin-billed Murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.
Cory's Shearwater
The Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
The Band-rumped Storm Petrel, Madeiran Storm Petrel, or Harcourt's Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) is of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae.
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache". As is typical of bird-eating raptors, Peregrine Falcons are sexually ...more ↓
European Shag
The European Shag or Common Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) is a species of cormorant. It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern Europe, southwest Asia and north Africa, mainly wintering in its breeding range except for northernmost birds. In Britain this seabird is usually referred to as simply the Shag.
Cuvier's Beaked Whale
Cuvier's beaked whale or goose-beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), the only member of the genus Ziphius, is the most widely distributed of all the beaked whales. It is pelagic and prefers depth greater than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and avoids ships but still is one of the most frequently spotted beaked whales.
Common Porpoise
The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen hundreds of miles from the sea. The harbour porpoise may be polytypic, ...more ↓
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus, commonly known as the common bottlenose dolphin or the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (and in older literature simply as the bottlenose dolphin, a term now applied to the genus), is the most well-known species from the family Delphinidae.
Striped Dolphin
The striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is an extensively studied dolphin found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world's oceans. It is a member of the family Delphinidae of toothed whales.
Common Dolphin
The short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is a species of common dolphin. It has a larger range than the long-beaked common dolphin (D. capensis), occurring throughout warm-temperate and tropical oceans, including the Indian Ocean although in smaller quantities than other places they are found. There are more short-beaked common dolphins than any other dolphin ...more ↓
European Rabbit
The European rabbit or common rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southwestern Europe (Spain and Portugal) and northwest Africa (Morocco and Algeria). It has been widely introduced elsewhere, often with devastating effects on local biodiversity. However, its decline in its native range (caused by the diseases myxomatosis and rabbit calicivirus, ...more ↓
Black Rat
The black rat (Rattus rattus) is a common long-tailed rodent of the genus Rattus (rats) in the subfamily Murinae (murine rodents). The species originated in tropical Asia and spread through the Near East in Roman times before reaching Europe by the 1st century and spreading with Europeans across the world.
Ocean Sunfish
The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, or common mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ...more ↓
Grey Triggerfish
The grey triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) is a triggerfish of the western Atlantic, found from Nova Scotia to Argentina. It is also reported from the Mediterranean Sea, off Angola on the west coast of Africa, and in the Gulf of Mexico in depths of 5-10 ft.
Red Mullet
Mullus barbatus is a species of goatfish found in the Mediterranean Sea, east North Atlantic Ocean from Scandinavia to Senegal, and the Black Sea.
Striped Red Mullet
The Surmullet, or the striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus), is a species of goatfish found in the Mediterranean Sea, east North Atlantic Ocean, and the Black Sea.
Atlantic Horse Mackerel
The Atlantic horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus, is a species of jack mackerel in the family Carangidae. It gets its common name from the legend that other smaller species of fish could ride on its back over great distances. Other common names include European horse mackerel (in the U.S.), common scad, scad, and saurel.
Yellow-headed goby
Gobius xanthocephalus, the Yellow-headed goby, is a species of goby native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean from northern Spain to Madeira and Canary Island, and also in the Mediterranean Sea where it is found in inshore waters at depths of from 1 to 22 metres (3.3 to 72 ft) and can be found living under stones. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) ...more ↓
Thorogobius ephippiatus
Thorogobius ephippiatus, the Leopard-spotted goby, is a species of goby native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Dusky Grouper
The Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus, formerly Epinephelus gigas), or Merou is the best known grouper of the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa coast. It is said to have the best taste of all Mediterranean fishes.
Sargo-legítimo
This article is about the fish. For the U.S. Navy ships named Sargo, see USS Sargo. For the town in Burkina Faso, see Sargo, Burkina Faso.
Red Porgy
The red porgy (Pagrus pagrus), or common seabream, is a species of fish in the family Sparidae. It is found in a wide variety of locations that range from Europe to the Caribbean. Also known along the Gulf Coast as White Snapper, even though it is not a true Snapper.
Salema Porgy
Sarpa salpa, known commonly as the Salema porgy, is a species of sea bream, recognisable by the golden stripes that run down the length of its body, and which can cause hallucinations when eaten. It is relatively common off the coasts of South Africa, Tenerife, Malta and Cyprus, but has occasionally been found as far north as Great Britain.
Gilthead Seabream
The gilt-head (sea) bream (Sparus aurata) is a fish of the bream family Sparidae found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern coastal regions of the North Atlantic Ocean. It commonly reaches about 35 centimetres (1.15 ft) in length, but may reach 70 centimetres (2.3 ft) and weigh up to about 17 kilograms (37 lb).
Black Seabream
The Black Seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) is a species of Sparidae fishes. They are recognisable by their oval compressed body and jaws containing 4-6 rows of slender teeth which are larger at the front. They are silvery in colour with blue and pink tinges and broken longitudinal gold lines. They can reach a maximum size of 60 cm in length. They live in northern Europe and in ...more ↓
Goldsinny Wrasse
The goldsinny wrasse, Ctenolabrus rupestris, is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the ,] where they inhabit weedy, rocky reefs at depths from 1 to 50 m (3.3 to 160 ft), though rarely below 20 m (66 ft). This species is the only known member of its genus.
Labrus bergylta
The Ballan wrasse, Labrus bergylta, is a species of wrasse native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Morocco, including the islands of Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands. They can be found at depths from 1 to 50 m (3.3 to 160 ft) amongst rocks, seaweed and reefs. It can grow to 65.9 cm (25.9 in) in total length (though most do not exceed 50 cm (20 in) ...more ↓
Cuckoo Wrasse
The cuckoo wrasse, Labrus mixtus, is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Senegal, including the Azores and Madeira. It is also found in the Mediterranean Sea. They can be found amongst the algae on rocky shores at depths from 2 to 200 m (6.6 to 660 ft), though mostly between 40 and 80 m (130 and 260 ft). This species is an important food fish ...more ↓
Symphodus bailloni
Baillon's wrasse, Symphodus bailloni, is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles and Belgium to Mauritania and the western Mediterranean Sea along the coast of Spain and around the Balearic Islands. This species inhabits areas with plentiful weed growth or around rocks at depths from 1 to 50 m (3.3 to 160 ft). It can reach 20 cm (7.9 in) ...more ↓
Tompot Blenny
The tompot blenny, Parablennius gattorugine, is a medium sized blenny growing to about 30 centimetres (12 in), part of the large family of blennies that live on the seabed of rocky areas in shallow water (down to 20 metres or 66 feet). The tompot blenny is found on the northern, western and southern coasts of Great Britain and is unusual on the east coast, although it has ...more ↓
European Seabass
The European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, is a primarily ocean-going fish that sometimes enters brackish and fresh waters. It is also known as the sea dace. Highly regarded as a table fish, it is often marketed as Mediterranean seabass, bronzini, or branzini.
thicklip grey mullet
The thicklip grey mullet, Chelon labrosus, is a coastal fish of the family Mugilidae. It grows to 50 cm long, with 75cm being the maximum recorded. it is named after its thick upper lip and silvery-grey appearance.
Black-faced blenny
Black-faced blenny (Tripterygion delaisi) is a species triplefins, widespread in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea: English Channel, along the coasts of western Africa, near Madeira and Canary Islands, south to Senegal. Marine demersal fish, up to 8.9 cm length.
Syngnathus acus
The Greater pipefish, (Syngnathus acus, Linnaeus, 1758), is a pipefish of the family Syngnathidae. It is a seawater fish and the type specimen of the genus Syngnathus.
Trigloporus lastoviza
Trigloporus lastoviza, the Streaked Gurnard, is a species of searobin found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean to the western Indian Ocean from Norway to Mozambique. It is found at depths of from 10 to 150 metres (33 to 490 ft) though it usually occurs at less than 40 metres (130 ft). This species grows to a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) TL and is a component of local ...more ↓
Mediterranean moray
The Mediterranean moray (sometimes also called Roman eel, Muraena helena) is a fish of the moray eel family. It has a long eel-like body and is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Its bite can be dangerous to humans.
Conger eel
The European conger, Conger conger, is a species of conger of the family Congridae. It is the largest eel in the world and native to the northeast Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea.
Faneca
Trisopterus luscus (also known as bib, pouting, pout whiting or pout) is a fish belonging to the cod family (Gadidae). It is found along the European coast. Usually grows to 30 cm (12 inches).
John Dory
John Dory, also known as St Pierre or Peter's Fish, refers to fish of the genus Zeus, especially Zeus faber, of widespread distribution. It is an edible benthic coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark spot, and long spines on the dorsal fin. The dark spot is used to flash an 'evil eye' if danger approaches. ...more ↓
School Shark
Galeorhinus galeus is a hound shark of the family Triakidae, the only member of the genus Galeorhinus. Common names include school shark, tope shark, soupfin shark and snapper shark. It is found worldwide in temperate seas at depths down to about 800 metres (2,600 ft). It grows to nearly 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) long. It feeds both in mid-water and ...more ↓
Sea Vase
Ciona intestinalis (vase tunicate) is a urochordata (sea squirt), a tunicate with very soft tunic, globally distributed cosmopolitan species. Since Linnaeus described the species, Ciona intestinalis has been used as a model invertebrate chordate in developmental biology and genomics. However, recent studies have shown that there are at least two, possibly four, ...more ↓
