Scientific Name
Micropogonias furnieri

Common Name
Whitemouth croaker

Biology
Found over muddy and sandy bottoms in coastal waters and in estuaries where the nursery and feeding grounds are located. Adults form schools. Feeding habits vary with ontogenic development and season; juveniles feed on benthic migratory crustaceans and sessile boring mollusks while adults are benthos-feeders and occasionally capture fish (Ref. 27). Undergoes seasonal migration. An important food fish which is usually marketed fresh and salted.

Classification

Classified By

Desmarest, 1823

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Drums or croakers (Sciaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Greater Antilles and from Costa Rica to Argentina (Ref. 9626). Also reported in Nicaragua

Range

27°N - 36°S, 84°W - 34°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

60 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range ? - 60 m (Ref. 9626), usually 20 - 40 m

Trophic Level

3.26 s.e. 0.48 Based on diet studies.

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

60.0 cm

Common Length

45.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5078 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (66 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.12-0.18; tmax=7)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated