Centropomus poeyi
Mexican Snook
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 poeyi (Mexican 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 fail to reach anus; second anal fin spine relatively short; scales relatively small; upper jaw extends to or beyond posterior margin of orbit; gill rakers on first arch 22-25; measurements (% SL): head length 36%-38%, snout length 9%-10%, upper jaw length 14%-16%, lower jaw length 21%-23%, pectoral fin length 19%-22%, pelvic fin length 20%-22%, anal fin origin to anus 10%-11%; (% head length): body depth 67%-70%; pectoral fin with 15-17 rays; second dorsal fin with slender spine and 9 rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 6 (rarely 7) rays; pored lateral line scales 69-71; scales in horizontal series 73-80; scales from second dorsal fin origin to lateral line 10-13; scales from lateral line to anal fin origin 12-15
Yellowish brown to brownish green dorsally, silvery on sides and ventrally, with dark line along lateral line; fins dusky
Distribution
Western Central Atlantic: Tampico, Mexico to Belize.
Western Atlantic from Tampico, Mexico, to Belize
Habitat Associations
Coastal waters, estuaries, and freshwater streams
Biology
Crustaceans and ray-finned fishes
900 mm SL
Spawning takes place in brackish or freshwater from May through September
Inhabits coastal waters, estuaries and lagoons, penetrating into freshwater. Spawning occurs in fresh or low brackish water. Feeds on fish and crustaceans.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-11-01. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish.
References
Chávez 1961
Chávez 1963
Greenfield 1975b
Fraser 1978b
Rivas 1986
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.
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott (1991) World fishes important to North Americans. Exclusive of species from the continental waters of the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (21):243 p.
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