Scientific Name
Centropomus mexicanus

Common Name
Guianan snook

Biology
Occurs in mouths of rivers and the littoral zone; spawns on banks; feeds on small fish and crustaceans (Ref. 35237). Juveniles bear conspicuous black tip on the dorsal fin and often join foraging groups of similarly sized and looking flagfin mojarras, Eucinostomus melanopterus. The snooks mingle with the mojarras and prey on fishes and shrimps attracted to the digging activity of the mojarras. The resemblance to a fish harmless to shrimps and small fishes allows the snook to approach this otherwise wary prey, an example of aggressive mimicry (Ref. 43465).

Classification

Classified By

Bocourt, 1868

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Snooks (Centropomidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: eastern Mexico and Greater Antilles to Venezuela and Porto Alegre in Brazil.

Range

32°N - 35°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal

Trophic Level

4.02 s.e. 0.67 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

47.5 cm

Common Length

35.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5005 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (49 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=3-4; Fec=800,000)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated