About Conodon nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Conodon nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758) has a relatively robust, elongate, laterally compressed body with a large eye. Its upper body is brownish, its abdomen is whitish, and yellowish horizontal lines run along its flanks. Individuals normally display 8 wide dark vertical bars on the back. The soft-rayed section of the dorsal fin, the anal fin, and the pelvic fin are yellow. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 13 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays. This species reaches a maximum total length of 33.6 cm (13.2 in), with 25 cm (9.8 in) being a more typical size. This species is distributed in the western Atlantic Ocean. Its range stretches from northeastern Florida to the upper Florida Keys, along the Gulf of Mexico coasts west from Louisiana to Mexico's northern Yucatan Peninsula, and extends south through the Caribbean Sea from Hispaniola to Tobago. It is also found along the coasts of Central and South America from Mexico south to Argentina. Conodon nobilis occurs at depths down to 100 m (330 ft). It is found mostly in sandy coastal areas, but also occurs along rocky shores and in brackish and estuarine waters. It primarily uses the surf zone as a nursery rather than estuaries. It feeds at night, mostly on small fishes and crustaceans. Mysids are the most important crustaceans in its diet, with amphipods also being important. A peak of recruitment into the population appears to occur in Spring.
