Appearance and lifestyle:
White musselcracker (Sparodon durbanensis) have thick lips, powerful jaws, and large teeth. This species can live to at least 31 years of age, reaching sexual maturity around 13 years of age. Juveniles have bright orange fins, and they can grow to 115cm and weigh over 23kg. Unfortunately, white musselcrackers are susceptible to overexploitation due to their limited geographical range and slow growth.
Habitat:
White musselcrackers are endemic to South Africa and occur to depths of 20m. Juveniles are common in tidal pools, while adults are seasonally migratory.
Diet:
They eat black mussels, urchins, whelks, crayfish, and small fish.
Threats:
Some threats they face are climate change, habitat loss, pollution etc.These fish are listed as Red on WFF's SASSI list, meaning they should not be bought or sold as a meal. Rather opt for a green-listed alternative.