| Family: |
Centropomidae (Snooks) |
| Max. size: |
140 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 24 kg; max. reported age: 7 years |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range - 22 m, amphidromous |
| Distribution: |
Western Atlantic: southern Florida (USA), southeastern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, most of the Antilles and Caribbean coast of Central and South America extending southward to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; also North Carolina and Texas, USA (Ref. 7251). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 8-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 6-6. 67- to 72 pored scales on lateral line to base of caudal fin (Ref. 26938). Black lateral line (Ref. 13442). |
| Biology: |
Adults inhabit coastal waters, estuaries and lagoons, penetrating into freshwater; usually at depths less than 20 m (Ref. 3713). Feed on fishes (Gobiidae, Gerreidae, Engraulidae) and crustaceans (shrimps and crabs) (Ref. 35237). Mature individuals congregate at mouths of passes and rivers during the spawning season, May through September (Ref. 3713). Seasonal movements into freshwater occur but poorly understood (Ref. 3713). Marketed fresh (Ref. 5712). Valued game fish and an excellent food fish (Ref. 26938). The world record for hook and line is a 53-lb., 10 ounce fish caught at Parismina Ranch, Costa Rica (Ref. 13442). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 February 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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