Black Drum
Pogonias cromis
Southern Kingfish
Menticirrhus americanus
About
The southern kingfish is a slim, silvery bottom-feeder that patrols sandy shallows with a single whisker-like barbel under its chin. It grows to about 50 cm and up to 1,070 g, though most run closer to 30 cm.
- Length
- 30 cm · max 50 cm
- Weight
- max 1.1 kg
- Depth
- up to 40 m
How to tell it apart
Other kingfish in the same genus are easily confused with it. The lopsided tail shape described above, uneven rather than a plain fork, is the best mark to confirm this species.
Appearance
The body is slender, deepest a little past the head, with the upper jaw projecting past the lower and a small barbel on the lower lip. The dorsal fin is split into two parts, the front one broadly triangular. Colour is silvery grey, sometimes with a coppery sheen, paler below, and some fish show a few broad slanting darker bands on the back. The tail fin has a slightly concave upper edge and a rounded lower edge.
Habitat
It lives over sand or mud bottoms in shallow coastal waters, often close to sandy beaches, down to about 40 m. Young fish tolerate low salinity and often shelter in estuaries. Its range runs along the western Atlantic, from the northeastern United States to Argentina, with gaps around southern Florida and the West Indies.
Behaviour
It feeds on bottom-living animals, mainly small shrimp and crabs, along with worms, molluscs, and small fish, and will also scavenge dead material. Spawning takes place from June to November.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
