Menticirrhus americanus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Southern kingcroaker
Menticirrhus americanus
photo by Timm, C.D.

Family:  Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 1,070.0 g
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range - 40 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Cape Cod in Massachussets, USA to northern Argentina.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22-25; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 7-8
Biology:  Inhabits coastal waters, usually over sandy-mud to hard sand bottoms. Common along beaches. Juveniles occur usually in water of lower salinity.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 22 January 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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