Argentinian Sandperch

Body pale brown with several dark brown vertical and horizontal stripes composed of dark brown blotches. A row of dark brown blotches on middle of dorsal fin membrane. An obvious black blotch on base of upper lobe of caudal fin (Ref. 27363).

Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 27; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 22 - 24

Feeds on fish, cephalopods, benthic organisms and plants (Ref. 30524).

Found on rocky and sandy bottoms in coastal waters (Ref. 53324). Oviparous with low batch fecundity (Ref. 53324). "We frequently catch P. semifasciata off the Rio de Janeiro coast. I have personally seen fish of 24 kg, with fish in the 12-18 kg range being fairly common (Capt. Eduardo Baumeier, pers. comm., 2001)." Ref. 27569 gave 10 kg as maximum weight.

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes