About Menticirrhus americanus (Linnaeus, 1758)
The southern kingcroaker (Menticirrhus americanus) can reach a maximum length of about 50 centimetres (20 inches), though most adults grow to a more typical length of 30 centimetres (12 inches). This is a slender fish, with its deepest body depth located roughly two fifths of the way along its body length. Its upper jaw extends further forward than the lower jaw, and the snout overhangs the mouth. A small barbel grows from the fish’s fleshy lower lip. The dorsal fin is split into two distinct parts, and the counts of spines and soft rays in these fins help identify the species. In M. americanus, the front section of the dorsal fin is broadly triangular and holds 10 spines, while the rear section is long and contains 1 spine plus 22 to 25 soft rays. The pectoral fins are large and pointed, the anal fin has 1 spine and 7 or 8 soft rays, and the tail fin has a distinctive shape: a slightly concave upper lobe and a rounded lower lobe. The fish has a silvery grey colour, sometimes with a coppery sheen, and is paler grey on its underside. Several broad, slanted dark bands sometimes appear on its back. This is a subtropical demersal fish that lives in shallow waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. It has a discontinuous range that extends from New York south to Texas, and from Yucatán south to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The northern part of its range is interrupted because the species is not found in southern Florida, while the southern part of its range is interrupted by its absence from the West Indies. Southern kingcroakers inhabit areas with sand or mud seabeds, and are often found on sandy beaches. Juveniles can tolerate low salinity levels, and are frequently found in estuaries. Southern kingcroakers are targeted by both commercial fishing operations and recreational beach anglers.
