[3] The genus Pagellus is placed in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of Fishes of the World.

The scales on the crown extend to are past a line equal to the rear edge of the eye.

[2] Pagellus acarne is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles and Denmark, where it is rare in both regions, south through the Bay of Biscay and Atlantic coast of Iberia to Senegal, including Madeira, Canary Islands, Azores and Cape Verde.

However, at lengths greater than 20.5 cm (8.1 in) females predominated and the overall sex ratio in this study was 1 male for evert 1.27 females, This population spawned twice a year in April to June, with a peak in May, and from November to January, peaking in December.

[11] Off southern Portugal spawning took place over a more extensed period, starting in from May and ending in November.

In the Algarve, Azores and Canary Islands it is the main target species for small-scale commercial fisheries.

In Andalucia, the stocks of axillary seabreams in the Alboran Sea are targeted by multi-species fisheries, both bottom-trawl and artisanal fleets being involved.

It is regarded as the most economically important demersal fish in this fishery in terms of both monetary value and volume landed.