| Family: |
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers) |
| Max. size: |
60 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 160 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: Guinea-Bissau (Ref. 26999) to southern Angola (Ref. 3593, 81656). Possibly also occurring more to the north (Ref. 81656). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 35-39; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 7. Diagnosis: moderately sized species with an elongate and laterally compressed body; dorsal with 9 (10?) spines in 1st part, second part with 1 spine and 35-39 soft fin rays; second anal spine clearly shorter than first anal fin soft ray, i.e. about half its length, and robust; pectoral fins long, 23.3-27.3% SL; caudal fin S-shaped; mouth inferior almost horizontal; maxilla extending to posterior half of eye; 7-9/1/4-7 (total 13-18) gill rakers on 1st gill arch; lower part of 1st gill arch with 2-6 reduced additional gill rakers, upper part with 0-2 reduced additional ones; gill rakers moderately long and fine, but shorter than the gill filament at angle between lower and upper part of gill arch; preopercular edge feebly denticulated but never with spines; eyes rather small, 4.6-5.4 times in HL, but this character is difficult to use for identification because of allometry (Ref. 81656).
Coloration: generally very dark, but occasionally pale silver often with faint dark brown oblique lines on sides; ventral side of head and belly yellowish; all fins greyish to very dark brown, black (Ref. 81656). |
| Biology: |
Occurs in coastal waters from the shore to about 70 m over mud bottom, but moves to deeper water. Also found in estuaries and coastal lagoons (Ref. 3593, 81656). Mainly feeds on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 81656). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 10 March 2020 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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