Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 10 m (Ref. 7251). Subtropical
Western Atlantic: southern Florida, Bay of Campeche, Greater Antilles and the Virgin Islands. Including Antilles (Ref. 26938).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340); common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3702)
Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 29; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. A distinctive bluish grey in life, with scattered dark spots on back and upper sides. Longitudinal stripes below lateral line. Mouth subterminal, slightly oblique. Chin without barbel but with 5 mental pores. Preopercle margin finely serrate without strong spines. Gas bladder with 2 chambers; anterior one yoke-shaped, without appendages, posterior chamber, carrot-shaped. Lapillus enlarged, more than half size of sagitta (Ref 51721).
Mostly restricted to clear, sheltered, shore waters with luxuriant plant growth, usually from 3-10 m depth. Adults feed mainly on crustaceans (Ref. 7251).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.7 - 28.2, mean 27.6 °C (based on 488 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01175 (0.00533 - 0.02588), b=3.09 (2.90 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.55 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (15 of 100).