This fish has a wide distribution in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

The black seabream was first formally described as Sparus cantharus by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae published in 1758 with its type locality given as the Mediterranean.

The specific name cantharus which is a latinisation of kantharos, an Ancient Greek name for this species, dating from at least the time of Aristotle.

[7] The black seabream has a moderately deep body with a small, round profiled head with a mouth that extends as far back as the front of the eye.

[9] This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, the females can attain sexual maturity at around two years old and a total length of 17.3 cm (6.8 in) while in the males sexual maturity is reached at around three years old and a total length 22.7 cm (8.9 in).

The males excavate a shallow depression in the sand or gravel piling the spoil around the edge to creat a crater like structure.

[1] The black seabream is a valued food fish and is an important target species for commercial fisheries, as well as for recreational fishers during the spawning season.