Sand weakfish (Cynoscion arenarius)

Scientific name: Cynoscion arenarius Ginsburg, 1930

Sand weakfish (Cynoscion arenarius)

The Sand weakfish (Cynoscion arenarius) is a brackish-water fish of the family Sciaenidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Florida, USA and Gulf of Mexico to Bay of Campeche, Mexico.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-29; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. Colour uniform silvery grey above, without conspicuous spots, silvery below. Pelvic and anal fins pale to yellowish. A faint dark area at bases and axial of pectoral fins. Inside opercle darkish, often visible externally. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting. Upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip. Lower jaw with a row of widely spaced larger inner-row teeth, gradually increasing in size posteriorly. Chin without barbel or pore, snout with 2 marginal pores. Gas bladder with a pair of horn-like anterior appendages. Soft portion of dorsal fin with few small scales rows at base between soft fin rays (Ref 51721).

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Cynoscion arenarius
Family
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
63.5
Common length
35.0
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and Gulf of Mexico to Bay of Campeche, Mexico.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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