Whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri)

Scientific name: Micropogonias furnieri Desmarest, 1823

The Whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) is a brackish-water fish of the family Sciaenidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Greater Antilles and from Costa Rica to Argentina. Also reported in Nicaragua.

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. Undergoes seasonal migration. An important food fish which is usually marketed fresh and salted.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Micropogonias furnieri
Family: Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 60.0
Common length: 45.0
Depth range: 60 m (197 ft)
Environment: Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous; depth range ? - 60 m, usually 20 - 40 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Greater Antilles and from Costa Rica to Argentina. Also reported in Nicaragua
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: highly commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.12-0.18; tmax=7)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026