Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Etymology: Cynoscion: Greek, kyon = dog + Greek, odous = teeth + Greek, skion, skiaina = barbel, red mullet (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Randall & Cervigón.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 20 - 60 m (Ref. 3702). Tropical; 12°N - 4°N
Western Atlantic: Colombia to northern Brazil. Also reported in Nicaragua (Ref. 13613).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3702); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3702); max. published weight: 2.0 kg (Ref. 5217)
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 29; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Silvery grey on back, pale below. Trunk with dotted oblique stripes along scale rows. Inside opercle black, visible externally. Spinous dorsal-fin margin dark. Mouth large, slightly oblique, lower jaw projecting. Upper jaw with a pair of large canine-like teeth at tip. Chin without barbels or pores. Snout with 2 marginal pores. Gas bladder with a pair of straight, horn-like anterior appendages. Soft dorsal fin unscaled except 2 or 3 rows of small scales along its base (Ref 51721).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Found over mud and sand bottoms (Ref. 3702). Marketed mostly fresh (Ref. 3702).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Cervigón, F., 1993. Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 2. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 497 p. (Ref. 9626)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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