Forkbeard (Lat. Phycis phycis). It grows relatively slowly and lives on average up to 18 years (71 cm in length), however, in the Adriatic the average age is 5 years (45.8 cm in length). It is widespread throughout the Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic. In the eastern part of the Adriatic, individual specimens are found in the shallower sea, while on the outside of the islands of the central and southern Adriatic they form dense settlements. It usually inhabits vertical rocks from 20 to 70m depth. It spawns in winter, from late October to early January. Males are not morphologically different from females. Forkbeard are sexually mature at 2 to 3 years of age. If the environment is not satisfactory, some females do not spawn that season but wait for the second season. Then the females risk dying before they breed. Unlike other fish, the primary source of energy in forkbeard is the liver, which makes up 15% of their weight, while muscles are only a secondary source of energy. During the day, it hides in dark and deep holes, and at night, it becomes an active predator. They feed on small fish and several species of invertebrates.