Gymnammodytes cicerelus

Gymnammodytes cicerelus, also known as Mediterranean sand eel, sonso^[3] in Catalan, and barrinaire or enfú in Menorca,^[4] is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ammodytidae, the sand lances and sand eels. It is the only species of this family in the Mediterranean Sea.^[5]

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Actinopterygii

Order:Labriformes

Family:Ammodytidae

Quick facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...

Gymnammodytes cicerelus
School of Gymnammodytes cicerellus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Labriformes
Family:	Ammodytidae
Genus:	Gymnammodytes
Species:	G. cicerelus
Binomial name
Gymnammodytes cicerelus (Rafinesque, 1810)[2]
Synonyms
Ammodytes argenteus Risso, 1827 Ammodytes cicerelus Rafinesque, 1810 Ammodytes siculus Swainson, 1839 Ammodytes terebrans Cisternas, 1875 Ammodytes tobianus Risso, 1810 non Linnaeus, 1758

Close

It is found over sandy or gravelly substrates in the east-central Atlantic from Portugal to Senegal, including the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands, and into the Mediterranean Sea and eastwards into the Black Sea.^[5]

Its maximum size is 17 cm. It is highly appreciated as food in certain areas of Italy, as well as in Catalan cuisine where it is fried after being lightly coated in batter.