| Family: |
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers) |
| Max. size: |
140 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 15 kg |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 150 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: Mauritania (Ref. 5377) to Angola, becoming scarce north of Cape Verde. Often confused with Pseudotolithus senegalensis. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 28-32. Diagnosis: dorsal fin with 9 spines in the 1st part and 1 spine and 28-32 in the second; second anal spine about half the length of the 1st anal fin soft ray; pectoral fins short, about 19-21% SL; gill rakers short, about as long as gill filament at angle between lower and upper part of gill arch; maxilla extending beyond posterior eye border, eyes small, 7.2-8.4 times in HL, but this character is difficult to use for identification because of allometry (Ref. 81656). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits coastal waters from shoreline to about 150 m depth, over mud and sandy mud bottoms. Most abundant in waters less than 60 m at temperatures above 18°C. Juveniles and sub-adults enter estuaries and rivers. Feeds mainly on small fishes and crustaceans. Peak spawning season from late spring to early autumn in tropical West Africa (Ref. 4780). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 January 2020 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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