Comber

comber the name for at least four species of fish, found in the Mediterranean and E. Atlantic, which are smaller relations of the groupers in the family Serranidae.

Serranus cabrilla may be taken as typical. It has a market length of around 30 cm (12"), and is reddish marked with vertical bands and some horizontal stripes below. The comber is appreciated in Spain, especially Galicia, whereas in some other countries it is thought to be fit only for fish soups, or at best fried.

S. scriba is called the ‘lettered perch’ because of the marks like scribbling on its body.