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1604 Bony Fishes
Corvula sanctaeluciae Jordan, 1889 Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Bairdiella sanctaeluciae (Jordan, 1889) / None. FAO names: En - Striped croaker; Fr - Mamselle caimuire; Sp - Corvineta caimuire.
gas bladder
sagitta lapillus inner surface
Diagnostic characters: A small fish, body oblong and compressed. Mouth moderate in size, slightly oblique, terminal. Eye moderately large. Teeth small and conical, those in upper jaw set in narrow bands with the outer row slightly enlarged, teeth on lower jaw in a single irregular row. Chin without barbels but with 5 pores; snout with 8 pores (3 rostral and 5 marginal). Gill rakers long and slender, 23 to 26 on first arch. Preopercular margin thin, nearly smooth.Spinous dorsal fin with 10 or 11 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 21 to 24 soft rays; anal fin with 2 spines and 9 (rarely 8) soft rays, second spine moderately strong, less than 2/3 the length of first soft ray; caudal fin truncate. Gas bladder with 2 chambers; ante- rior one yoke-shaped, without appendages on posterior margin, posterior one carrot-shaped. Lapillus (small earstone) enlarged, more than half the size of sagitta. Scales on body ctenoid (comb-like); basal half of soft dorsal and anal fins scaled; lateral line extending to end of caudal fin. Colour: grey or greyish blue on back, silvery below; sides with faint streaks, oblique above and longitudinal below lateral line; fins pale, yel- lowish, dusted with dark spots; a faint dark spot at pectoral-fin origin. Size: Maximum 26 cm; common to 20 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Common over muddy and sandy bottoms in inshore waters; juveniles are also found in rocky areas. Feeds mainly on shrimps. Separate statistics are not reported for this species. Caught mainly with small seine (mandingas), bottom trawls, and traps. Not often marketed for human consumption due to its small size and second grade quality; mostly used as bait. Distribution: Throughout the Antilles and along the Caribbean coast from Costa Rica to Guyana, very abundant in Venezuela; a few specimens were also collected from the mouth of the Indian River (east Florida). Note: Bairdiella sanctaeluciae (Jordan, 1889) is reassigned to the genus Corvula Jordan, 1889. Perciformes: Percoidei: Sciaenidae 1605
Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus (Metzelaar, 1919) TEG Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Umbrina gracilicirrhus Metzelaar, 1919 / None. FAO names: En - Barbel drum; Fr - Courbine maroto; Sp - Verrugato maroto.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A medium-sized to small fish, body oblong and moderately compressed. Mouth moderately large, slightly inferior; teeth villiform, set in bands on both jaws, outer row in upper jaw slightly enlarged. Tip of chin with a pointed flexible barbel, its length about 1/2 eye diameter, and 4 mental pores; snout with 8 pores (3 rostral and 5 marginal). Eye large, about 3 times in head length. Gill rakers short and stout, 21 to 25.Preopercle margin smooth to finely serrate.Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine, 21 to 24 soft rays; anal fin with 2 spines, 7 or 8 soft rays; caudal fin rhomboidal to rounded in adults. Gas bladder carrot-shaped, without appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) thick and ovoid, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales relatively large, ctenoid on body, cycloid on head; lateral line with 50 pored scales. Soft dorsal-fin base covered with a row of sheath scales, small scales extend to 1/3 of fin height. Colour: body silvery, grey on back and white on belly; inside of opercle lining black, appearing as a dark trian- gular blotch externally; base of pectoral fin and axil with a dark spot; upper half of spinous dorsal fin dusky; other fins pale. Size: Maximum 21 cm; common to 16 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found over sandy mud bottoms in coastal waters and upper regions of the continental shelf from 10 to about 80 m.Feeds mainly on shrimps.No special fishery, caught mainly with bottom trawls as bycatch, particularly abundant off Araya Penin- sula and in the Orinoco delta (Venezuela). Usually not marketed for human consumption due to its small size; mostly used as bait. Distribution: From Nicaragua along the Carib- bean coast and the Atlantic coasts of South America to south Brazil. 1606 Bony Fishes
Cynoscion acoupa (Lacepède, 1801) YNA Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Cynoscion maracaiboeneis Schultz, 1949 / Cynoscion similis Randall and Cervigón, 1968; Cynoscion steindachneri (Jordan, 1889). FAO names: En - Acoupa weakfish; Fr - Acoupa toeroe; Sp - Corvinata amarilla.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A large fish, moderately elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting; maxilla extending beyond hind margin of eye. Teeth sharp, set in nar- row bands on both jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, one often more prominent, with a row of enlarged outer-row teeth; lower jaw with a row of enlarged inner-row teeth, gradually increasing in size posteriorly. Chin without barbels or pores; snout with 2 marginal pores. Gill rakers long and slen- der, 10 to 16. Preopercule margin smooth. Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 17 to 22 (usually 18 to 20) soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 7 to 9 (usually 8) soft rays; caudal fin rhomboid to double emarginated in adults; pectoral fins about equal in length to pelvic fins. Gas bladder with a pair of long, straight, horn-like appendages. Sagitta earstone thin and elongate. Scales large, ctenoid (comb-like) on body, cycloid (smooth) on head;soft portion of dorsal fin unscaled except 2 or 3 rows of small scales along its base. Colour: body nearly uniform silvery, dark greenish above; without conspicuous spots on side but with diffuse dark areas along base of dorsal fin and on margin of spinous dorsal fin, ventral side of head, lower margin of pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins often yellowish orange;inside of opercle dusky. Size: Maximum 120 cm; common to 50 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found over sandy mud bottoms in shallow coastal wa- ters to 22 m; also abundant in estuaries and in brackish mangrove swamps; sometimes enter- ing fresh waters. Caught mainly with seines, gill nets, trammel nets, bottom trawls, and on hook-and-line, along the entire Caribbean coast, Guyanas and to northern Brazil. Mar- keted mostly fresh and salted; gas bladder is also processed for isinglass and as an oriental delicacy. Distribution: From Panama along the Carib- bean and Atlantic coasts of South America to southeast Brazil. Perciformes: Percoidei: Sciaenidae 1607
Cynoscion arenarius Ginsburg, 1930 YNR Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Cynoscion nothus (Holbrook 1855). FAO names: En - Sand weakfish (AFS: Sand seatrout); Fr - Acoupa de sable; Sp - Corvinata de arena.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A medium-sized fish, body elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting; maxilla reaching slightly short of hind margin of eye. Teeth sharp, set in narrow bands on both jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, one often more promi- nent, and a row of enlarged outer-row teeth;lower jaw with a row of widely spaced larger inner-row teeth, grad- ually increasing in size posteriorly.Chin without barbel or pore, snout with 2 marginal pores.Gill rakers long and slender, 12 to 14. Preopercle margin smooth, without spines. Spinous dorsal fin with 9 or 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 25 to 29 soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 10 to 12 (usually 11) soft rays; caudal fin double emarginate in adults; pectoral fins slightly longer than pelvic fins. Gas bladder with a pair of horn-like anterior appendages. Sagitta thin and oval elongate, lapillus rudimentary. Scales large, ctenoid (comb-like) on body, cycloid (smooth) on head;soft portion of dorsal fin with few small scales rows at base between soft fin rays. Colour: uniform silvery grey above, without conspicuous spots, silvery below; pel- vic and anal fins pale to yellowish; a faint dark area at bases and axial of pectoral fins; inside opercle darkish, often visible externally. Size: Maximum 45 cm; common to 30 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found over sandy bottoms in shallow coastal waters, being relatively abundant in the surf zone; during the summer months the fish move to their nurs- ery and feeding grounds in river estuaries. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes.Caught mainly with bottom trawls, pound nets, and gill nets; also by anglers. Marketed mostly fresh; a highly es- teemed foodfish. Distribution: Northern and eastern coasts of the Gulf of Mexico mainly from Florida to Texas, rare in the Bay of Campeche.Shallow waters through- out its range, but no special fishery. 1608 Bony Fishes
Cynoscion jamaicensis (Vaillant and Bocourt, 1883) YNJ Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Cynoscion petranus (Miranda Ribeiro, 1915) / None. FAO names: En - Jamaica weakfish; Fr - Acoupa mongolare; Sp - Corvinata goete.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A medium-sized fish, elongate, moderately compressed, and deep. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting;maxilla not reaching below hind margin of eye.Teethsharp, set in nar- row bands on jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, one often more prominent, and a larger outer-row teeth; lower jaw with a row of enlarged inner-row teeth, widely spaced and gradually increas- ing in size posteriorly. Chin without barbel or pores, snout with only 2 marginal pores. Gill rakers moder- ately long and slender, 9 to 13. Preopercle margin smooth. Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 23 to 27 (usually 23 to 25) soft rays;anal fin with 2 weak spines and 8 to 10 (usually 9) soft rays; caudal fin truncate to double emarginated in adults. Gas bladder with a pair of horn-like anterior append- ages. Sagitta (large earstone) moderately broad and thick, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales large, ctenoid (comb-like) on trunk, cycloid (smooth) on head; soft portion of dorsal-fin base covered with small scales up to 1/2 of fin height. Colour: greyish above, silvery below; without conspicuous spots, but with faint dark streaks along scale rows above lateral line; pectoral-fin bases and upper rays slightly dark, pel- vic and anal fins often yellowish, dorsal and caudal fins dusky with darker margin;inside opercle darkish visible externally. Size: Maximum: 50 cm; common to 35 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found over sand or mud bottoms from the coastline to about 60 m, rare in deeper waters. The juveniles inhabit river estuaries, often caught as bycatch by shrimp trawls. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes. Caught mainly with trammel nets, seines, gill nets, and bottom trawls. Especially important fishery in Gulf of Venezuela, eastern part of Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname; outside the area, an important fishing ground is located off northern Brazil. Marketed mostly fresh and salted. Distribution: The only Cynoscion species found around the Lesser Antilles and Puerto Rico; also, from Panama along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of South America to south- ern Brazil. Perciformes: Percoidei: Sciaenidae 1609
Cynoscion leiarchus (Cuvier, 1830) YNE Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Cynoscion microlepidotus (Cuvier, 1830); Cynoscion virescens (Cuvier, 1830). FAO names: En - Smooth weakfish; Fr - Acoupa blanc; Sp - Corvinata blanca.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A medium to large fish, body elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, pointed, lower jaw projecting; maxilla extending to below hind margin of eye. Teeth conical, set in narrow bands on jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, one often more prominent, and a row of enlarged outer-row teeth; lower jaw with slightly enlarged inner-row teeth, uniform in size and closely set. Chin without barbel or obvious pores; snout with 2 marginal pores.Gill rakers slender, shorter than gill fil- aments, 8 to 11. Preopercle margin smooth. Dorsal fin with 10 spines in first portion, posterior portion with 1 spine and 20 to 24 soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 8 to 10 rays; caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginated in adults. Gas bladder with a pair of curved, horn-like anterior appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) moderately thick and wide, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales small, all cycloid (smooth) with about 110 transverse scale rows above lateral line; soft dorsal-fin base with 1 or 2 rows of scales along its base, some also with small scales on membranes between rays on lower half.Colour: sil- very bluish on back, often with greenish reflections; whitish on belly; upper sides sometimes with inconspicu- ous minute dark dots; soft portion of dorsal fin and caudal fin edged with black, pelvic and anal fins yellowish; inside of opercle dark, visible externally. Size: Maximum 60 cm; common to 35 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found usually over mud and sand bottoms in estuaries, and from the coastline to about 40 m, although larger specimens may occur in deeper water. Feeds mainly on fishes and crustaceans. Caught mainly with beach seines, bottom trawls, and hook-and-line.Marketed mostly fresh and salted; a good foodfish. Distribution: From Panama along the Carib- bean and Atlantic coasts of South America to southeast Brazil. 1610 Bony Fishes
Cynoscion microlepidotus (Cuvier, 1830) YNM Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Cynoscion leiarchus (Cuvier, 1830); Cynoscion virescens (Cuvier, 1830). FAO names: En - Smallscale weakfish; Fr - Acoupa doré; Sp - Corvinata dorada.
gas bladder
Diagnostic characters: A large fish, body elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw projecting; maxilla extending to hind margin of eye. Teeth sharp, set in narrow bands on both jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, and a row of enlarged sharp outer-row teeth;lower jaw with a row of widely spaced sharp inner-row teeth, gradually increasing in size posteriorly. Chin without barbel or pore, snout with 2 marginal pores. Gill rakers 8 to 11, short and slender. Preopercle margin smooth. Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 22 to 25 soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 8 to 10 soft rays; caudal fin rhomboidal. Gas bladder with a pair of long and straight horn-like appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) thin, oval elongated; lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales very small, all cycloid (smooth) with 140 or more rows of transverse scales above lateral line; soft portion of dorsal fin covered with scales beyond basal half of fin. Vertebrae 12 precaudal and 10 caudal (total 22). Colour: silvery greenish to greyish on back, whitish on belly; tip of dorsal fin darkish; upper rays of pectoral fins, anterior part of anal fin and caudal fin yellowish. Size: Maximum 95 cm; common to 50 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found over mud and sandy mud bottoms in river estuar- ies and in marine areas from the coastline to about 30 m. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes. Caught mainly with seines, trammel nets, and bottom trawls; also on hook-and-line off the Amazon delta (where it is apparently caught in larger quantities) Marketed mostly fresh and salted; an excellent foodfish, gas bladders are further processed for food and isinglass. Distribution: From the Gulf of Venezuela along the Caribbean to southeast Brazil. Perciformes: Percoidei: Sciaenidae 1611
Cynoscion nebulosus (Cuvier, 1830) SWF Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider, 1801). FAO names: En - Spotted weakfish (AFS: Spotted seatrout); Fr - Acoupa pintade; Sp - Corvinata pintada.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A large fish, body elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, oblique lower jaw projecting; maxilla extending to hind margin of eye. Teeth conical, set in narrow bands on jaws; up- per jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, one often more prominent, and a row of enlarged outer-row teeth;lower jaw with an enlarged inner row of teeth, uniform in size and closely set. Chin with- out barbels or pores; snout with 2 marginal pores. Gill rakers 9 to 12, slender, about the size of gill fila- ments.Preopercle margin smooth.Spinous dorsal fin with 9 or 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 25 to 28 soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 10 or 11 soft rays; caudal fin truncate to emarginate in adults. Gas bladder with a pair of nearly straight horn-like appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) moderately thin and elongate, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales large and ctenoid (comb-like) on body; soft por- tion of dorsal fin unscaled, except 2 or 3 rows of scales along its base. Colour: body silvery, dark grey on back with bluish reflections and numerous round black spots irregularly scattered on upper half, extend- ing to dorsal and caudal fin; spinous dorsal fin dusky, other fins pale to yellowish. Size: Maximum 70 cm; common to 40 cm. Habitat, biology,and fisheries: Found usually in river estuaries and shallow coastal marine waters over sand bottoms, often associated with seagrass beds (as nursery for young); also in salt marshes and tidal pools of high salinity. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes. Caught mainly with pound nets, gill nets, seines, and occasionally with bottom trawls; also by anglers who sometimes land 3 times the com- mercial catch on west coast of Florida. Marketed mostly fresh; a highly esteemed foodfish. Florida landing has reduced from 600 t (1980) to less than 100 t. (1995). The rapid decline of commer- cial catch in the last 2 decades is alarming.There is also a shift of the fishery to recreational fishing. Distribution: Atlantic coast from Long Island to Florida and Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Laguna Madre, Mexico. 1612 Bony Fishes
Cynoscion nothus (Holbrook, 1848) YNN Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Cynoscion arenarius Ginsburg, 1929. FAO names: En - Silver weakfish (AFS: Silver seatrout); Fr - Acoupa argenté; Sp - Corvinata plateada.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A medium-sized fish, body elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw projecting; maxilla not extending to below hind margin of eye. Teeth sharp, set in narrow bands on jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, and outer-row teeth slightly enlarged; lower jaw with a row of sharp enlarged inner-row teeth, widely spaced and gradually increasing in size poste- riorly. Chin without barbels or pores; snout with 2 marginal pores. Gill rakers 11 to 15, much shorter than gill filament.Preopercle margin nearly smooth.Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 26 to 31 (usually 28 or 29) soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 8 to 11 soft rays; caudal fin rhomboidal to truncate in adults. Gas bladder with a pair of straight, horn-like anterior appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) oval and thin, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary.Vertebrae 27. Scales large, ctenoid (comb-like) on body, cycloid (smooth) on most of head; soft portion of dorsal fin covered with small scales on basal half of fin. Colour: greyish above changing abruptly to silvery below; back and upper sides sometimes with very faint irregular rows of spots; dorsal fin dusky, other fins pale to yellowish. Size: Maximum 40 cm; common to 25 cm Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found over sandy bottoms in inshore waters along beaches and in river mouths. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes. Caught mainly with bottom trawls (especially shrimp trawl bycatch), and pound nets. Separate statis- tics are not reported for this species.It is probably mixed up with Cynoscion regalis in the catches along the Atlantic coast of the USA and with Cynoscion arenarius intheGulfofMexico. Larger specimens are marketed fresh; smaller ones are regarded as scrap fish and used in other byproducts. Distribution: Atlantic coast from Chesapeake Bay to southern Florida, and along eastern and northern Gulf of Mexico to Texas. Perciformes: Percoidei: Sciaenidae 1613
Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Grey weakfish (AFS: Weakfish); Fr - Acoupa royal; Sp - Corvinata real.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters:A large fish, elongate and moderately compressed.Mouth large, oblique, lower jaw projecting; maxilla extending to below hind margin of eye. Teeth sharp, set in narrow bands on jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, and a slightly enlarged outer-row teeth; lower jaw with a row of widely spaced inner teeth, and gradually increasing in size posteriorly. Chin without barbels or pores; snout with only 1 marginal pore. Gill rakers 14 to 17, moderately long and slender. Preopercle margin smooth. Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 25 to 29 soft rays; anal fin with 2 weak spines and 11 to 13 soft rays; caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginated in adults. Gas bladder with a pair of nearly straight, horn-like anterior appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) oval elongated and moder- ately thin, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales large and ctenoid (comb-like) on body, cycloid (smooth) on head; soft portion of dorsal fin covered with small scales up to 1/2 of fin height. Colour: body greenish grey above and silvery below, back with small spots forming undulating dotted lines; pelvic fins and anal fin yellowish other fins pale, sometimes with a yellowish tinge; inside of opercle dark, visible exter- nally. Size: Maximum 90 cm; common to 50 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Usually found in shallow coastal waters over sand and sandy mud bottoms; relatively abundant in sounds and along beaches. During summer the fish move to their nursery and feeding grounds in estuaries. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes.Caught mainly with pound nets, gill nets, seines, and bot- tom trawls;also by anglers.Marketed most fresh, a popular foodfish. Distribution: Atlantic coast of North America from Nova Scotia to south Florida and western coast of Florida (uncommon). 1614 Bony Fishes
Cynoscion similis Randall and Cervigón, 1968 YNS Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Cynoscion acoupa (Lacepède, 1801); Cynoscion steindachneri (Jordan, 1889). FAO names: En - Tonkin weakfish; Fr - Acoupa tonquiche; Sp - Corvinata tonquicha.
gas bladder
inner surface lateral view sagitta
Diagnostic characters: A large fish, elongate and moderately compressed. Mouth large, slightly oblique, lower jaw projecting; maxilla extending below hind margin of eye. Teeth sharp, set in narrow bands on jaws; upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip, one often more prominent, and larger outer-row teeth; lower jaw with closely set sharp inner-row teeth, middle ones stronger.Chin without barbels or pores; snout with 2 marginal pores. Gill rakers 9 to 12, shorter than gill filament. Preopercle margin soft, nearly smooth. Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 24 to 28 soft rays; anal fin with 2 spines and 8 to 10 (usually 9) soft rays, second spine slender; caudal fin truncate to emarginated in adults. Gas blad- der with a pair of straight, horn-like anterior appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) moderately thick and elongate; lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales large and ctenoid (comb-like) on body, cycloid (smooth) on head; soft dorsal fin unscaled except 2 or 3 rows of small scales along its base. Colour: sil- very grey on back, pale below; trunk with dotted oblique stripes along scale rows; inside opercle black, visible externally; spinous dorsal-fin margin dark. Size: Maximum 60 cm; common to 40 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found usually over mud and sand bottoms from the coastline to depths of about 60 m, rare in deeper water proba- bly also in estuaries. Caught mainly with bottom trawls and trammel nets. A low-prized fish, not of very high quality. Marketed fresh or salted, gas bladders are also dried for oriental delicacy. Distribution: Caribbean coast of South America from the Gulf of Venezuela to Northern Brazil (about 4°N); actual range is possibly wider.
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