Vieja (Paralabrax dewegeri)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Perciformes · Family: Serranidae · Genus: Paralabrax.

Accepted name: Paralabrax dewegeri · Authority: (Metzelaar, 1919) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 282055.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Prionodes dewegeri (Metzelaar, 1919); Serranus dewegeri Metzelaar, 1919.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=282055 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Paralabrax dewegeri. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 43 cm · Common length: 35 cm · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 33 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Found on semi-hard or soft bottoms. Juveniles are often in association with Thalassia . Synchronously hermaphroditic (Ref. 7251).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 1218) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Paralabrax-dewegeri.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

1,681 georeferenced occurrence records for Paralabrax dewegeri are published through GBIF from 8 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 26 distinct locations from a sample of 1,681 records, omitting 7 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Puerto Rico (1,642); Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (17); Brazil (5); French Guiana (5); Guyana (5).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2387735) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2387735&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=282055 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Paralabrax dewegeri (Metzelaar, 1919) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 190365) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/190365/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2387735) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2387735/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Paralabrax dewegeri has an elongate compressed body with a pointed head. The preoperculum is smoothly rounded and has fine serrations along its edge. There are three spines on the gill cover, the topmost spine is blunt and rather small while the other two are sharp.

The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 14 soft rays while the anal fin has three spines and seven soft rays, with the ends of the soft rayed parts of these fins being rounded. The caudal fin is truncate. The body is brown in colour, fading to yellowish brown on its lower part with seven vertical dark brown bars on the lower part of the body.

There is a large dark brown spot at the base of the pectoral fins which has a pale yellowish brown line running behind it. The paired fins are dark brown. This species attains a maximum published total length of 43 cm, although 35 cm is more common, and it has a maximum weight of 1.3 kg.

Distribution

Paralabrax dewegeri is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, where it is found along the northern coast of South America from the Gulf of Venezuela eastwards to Fortaleza in Brazil. It also occurs in Curaçao and Trinidad and Tobago.

Habitat and biology

Paralabrax dewegeri is found in water with depths of between 10 and 25 m over semi-hard or soft substrates and among soft corals. Juveniles are found in beds of the sea grass Thalassia. It is a carnivorous species which has a diet largely made up of crustaceans but it also feeds on fishes, molluscs, worms and brittle stars. Females attain sexual maturity at about 11 cm and this species is a protogynous hermaphrodite.

Taxonomy

Paralabrax dewegeri was first formally described as Prionodes dewegeri in 1919 by the Dutch ichthyologist Jan Metzelaar (1891-1929) with the type locality given as Guanta in Venezuela. It is the sister taxon to P. callaensis of the eastern Pacific Ocean and, in turn, these two species hare a common ancestor with the Galapagos endemic P. albomaculatus.

Utilisation

Paralabrax dewegeri is said to have palatable flesh but it is of little commercial importance to fisheries because of its relatively small size.

Source: Wikipedia: Paralabrax dewegeri — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralabrax_dewegeri (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.