Spotted drum (Equetus punctatus)

Scientific name: Equetus punctatus Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Spotted drum (Equetus punctatus)

The Spotted drum (Equetus punctatus) is a marine fish of the family Sciaenidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Bermuda, Florida (USA), and Bahamas to the Antilles and Yucatan (Mexico) to Brazil.

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. 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. 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).

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Equetus punctatus
Family
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
27.0
Common length
18.0
Depth range
3–30 m (10–98 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 30 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), and Bahamas to the Antilles and Yucatan (Mexico) to Brazil.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

More other marine fish

See all other marine fish

Sources

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

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