Menticirrhus littoralis (Holbrook, 1847)
Gulf kingcroaker
Menticirrhus littoralis
photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Family:  Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Max. size:  48.3 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 1,380.0 g
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range - 10 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Virginia, USA and the continental coast of the Gulf of Mexico to Rio Grande del Sur, Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Grayish brown above, shading to silvery below, no prominent bars. Lower jaw has single, stout, peg-like barbel with pore at tip. Scales on belly smaller than those on side (Ref. 26938).
Biology:  Occurs usually in coastal waters over sandy and muddy bottoms; juveniles are abundant in the surf zone. Sometimes enters estuaries. Feeds mainly on worms and crustaceans. Excellent food fish (Ref. 26938).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 22 January 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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