Two-banded Sea Bream

Photo: Philippe Guillaume · CC BY

Dense schools of two-banded bream, sometimes numbering in the thousands, circulate through the Lycian building remains, using the stone structure as shelter from predators and as a feeding zone for benthic invertebrates. Their tight coordinated movements around columns and doorframes create a mesmerising spectacle in the clear water. The archaeological complex provides more structural complexity per square metre than any natural reef in the area, supporting very high fish biomass.