Scientific Name
Equetus punctatus

Common Name
Spotted drum

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45-47; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 6 - 8. First dorsal fin very high with short base. Second dorsal and caudal fins dark with white spots and dashes (Ref. 26938). Head white with two dark brown bars, one through eye, the other more posterior and more diagonal, extending across chest to pelvic fins; body white with a broad dark brown band beginning on front of first dorsal fin, curving across nape, above pectoral fin, and running to mid-base of caudal fin; two narrower dark stripes above and below this band (Ref. 13442). Mouth small, inferior, nearly horizontal. Spinous dorsal fin very elevated, higher than head length. Gas bladder simple, carrot-shaped without appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) near rounded and thick (Ref 51721).

Classification

Classified By

Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Drums or croakers (Sciaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), and Bahamas to the Antilles (Ref. 26340) and Yucatan (Mexico) (Ref. 26938) to Brazil.

Range

32°N - 33°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

3 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 30 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

3.49 s.e. 0.56 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

27.0 cm

Common Length

18.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.7500 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (23 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated