European barracuda
Sphyraena sphyraena
Sighting evidence at Cap de Cavalleria, Menorca
Photo: Christian Amador Da Silva · © all rights reserved
The European barracuda forms tight, spiralling schools — tornadoes of silver — in the water column above rocky headlands. Unlike its tropical cousins it is rarely a threat to divers, but its sheer numbers and precise formation swimming make for spectacular encounters. Schools aggregate at Cap de Cavalleria's northern tip to ambush the mackerel and anchovies that ride the current past the headland.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
European barracuda is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.