The painted comber (Serranus scriba) is a subtropical marine fish, classified in the family of groupers and sea basses. It is found in the Adriatic Sea, eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea.
Serranus scriba grows to a length of 28 centimetres. This grouper has a squat body, a large head and a mouth very large in proportion to the body size. Jaws are filled with sharp teeth. The painted comber is orange to red in color with bluish to dark brown vertical stripes that are wider and darker towards the tail. The caudal fin is dark yellow to orange, the dorsal fins are yellow with orange dots and lines. The pelvic fins and pectoral fins are usually monochromatic light yellow. The head shows many reddish-brown lines that resemble Arabic writing (hence the Latin name of the species). On both sides of the abdomen there is a large, bright blue area.
The painted comber has minor commercial value, and, much like other species of Serranus, is considered to have tasty flesh.
