| Family: |
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers) |
| Max. size: |
110 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 17 kg |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 20 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Western Atlantic: Panama to Argentina; Southwest Atlantic: Sergipe, Brazil (Ref. 118626). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-22; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Body nearly uniform silvery, dark greenish above. Without conspicuous spots on side but with diffuse dark areas along base of dorsal fin and on margin of spinous dorsal fin, ventral side of head, lower margin of pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins often yellowish orange. Inside of opercle dusky. Mouth large, oblique. Lower jaw slightly projecting. Upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip. Lower jaw with a row of enlarged inner-row teeth, gradually increasing in size posteriorly. Chin without barbels or pores. Snout with 2 marginal pores. Pectoral fins about equal in length to pelvic fins. Gas bladder with a pair of long, straight, horn-like appendages. Sagitta earstone thin and elongate. Soft portion of dorsal fin unscaled except 2 or 3 rows of small scales along its base (Ref 51271). |
| Biology: |
Forms schools (Ref. 35237). Found over mud or sandy mud bottoms near mouths of rivers. Juveniles are restricted to brackish and fresh waters. Feeds on shrimps and fishes. Important food fish (Ref. 3702). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 10 October 2019 (A2bcd+4bcd) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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