Centropomus parallelus
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Centropomidae (Snooks)
Centropomus
Centropomus parallelus (Smallscale Fat Snook)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Pelvic fins reach to or beyond anus; second anal fin spine very long; scales relatively small; upper jaw extends to anterior margin of orbit; gill rakers on first arch 21-25; measurements (% SL): head length 35%-40%, snout length 10%-12%, upper jaw length 13%-16%, lower jaw length 19%-22%, pectoral fin length 20%-23%, pelvic fin length 20%-23%, anal fin origin to anus 13%-16%; (% head length): body depth 67%-81%; pectoral fin with 14-16 rays; second dorsal fin with slender spine and 10 (rarely 9 or 11) rays; anal fin with three spines and 6 (rarely 7) rays; scales in horizontal series 79-92; scales from origin of second dorsal fin base to lateral line 11-16; scales from lateral line to origin of anal fin 13-18 (usually 15 or more)
Yellow brown to brownish green dorsally and silvery on sides and belly, with dark line along course of lateral line; pelvic fin pale
Distribution
Western Atlantic from southern Florida to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Antilles; in the Gulf of Mexico known from southwestern Florida as far north as Sarasota and from south Texas
South Texas
Habitat Associations
Coastal waters, estuaries, and freshwater streams and lakes with connections to the ocean
Biology
Crustaceans and ray-finned fishes
Maximum known size is 580 mm SL
Spawning takes place between April and December
Inhabits coastal waters, estuaries and lagoons, penetrating into freshwater; usually prefers very low brackish water or freshwater. Occasionally in hypersaline lagoons (Ref. 5217). Found over shallow soft bottoms (Ref. 5217). Feeds on fish and crustaceans. Its flesh is well appreciated (Ref. 27188).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-06-29. Resilience: Medium (tm=3-4; Fec=900,000).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish.
References
Chávez 1963
Fraser 1968
Fraser 1978b
Greenfield 1975b
Lee et al. 1980
Rivas 1986
Robins and Ray 1986
Cervigón 1991
Cervigón 1993b
Martin and King 1991
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Orrell 2002a
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Fraser, T.H. (1978) Centropomidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. West Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). FAO, Rome. Vol. 1-2. pag.var.
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez (1992) Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
Keith, P., P.-Y. Le Bail and P. Planquette (2000) Atlas des poissons d'eau douce de Guyane. Tome 2, Fascicule I: Batrachoidiformes, Mugiliformes, Beloniformes, Cyprinodontiformes, Synbranchiformes, Perciformes, Pleuronectiformes, Tetraodontiformes. Collection Patrimoines Naturels 43(I): 286p. Paris: Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle.
Rivas, L.R. (1986) Systematic review of the perciform fishes of the genus Centropomus. Copeia 1986(3):579-611.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
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