Eucinostomus havana
Bigeye Mojarra
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Gerreidae (Mojarras)
Eucinostomus
Eucinostomus havana (Bigeye Mojarra)
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
Relatively deep bodied, premaxillary groove unconstricted by scales, pectoral fins densely covered with scales, black blotch at tip of spinous section of dorsal fin. Dorsal profile of head slightly convex to nearly straight. Maxilla extends to near anterior margin of orbit. Margins of lachrymal and preopercular bones entire. Opercular margin has distinct notch above fleshy flap. Eye length about equal to snout length. Gill rakers on first arch short, four on upper limb and seven on lower limb. Measurements (% SL): head length 30%–32%, upper jaw length 9%–10%, eye diameter 11%–12%, last dorsal fin spine length 9%–10%, depressed anal fin length 21%–24%, second anal fin spine length 13%–16%, body depth 30%–37%, caudal peduncle depth 10%–11%. Pectoral fin has 15 or 16 rays. Dorsal fin deeply notched, nine spines and 10 rays. Anal fin has three slender spines and 7 rays, third spine segmented but not branched in small specimens. Lateral line scales number 46 or 48.
Straw yellow to silver in preservative, slightly darker dorsally than ventrally.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Florida and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
In the Gulf of Mexico at the Dry Tortugas and the Laguna de Términos, Veracruz.
Habitat Associations
Coastal waters, depth range up to 3 m.
Mangrove-lined tidal creeks, tide pools, and open sandy beaches.
Biology
Maximum known size is 180 mm TL.
Generally found over vegetated sand grounds and over mud bottoms in mangrove areas (Ref. 3722). May form aggregations. Probably feeds on small benthic invertebrates (Ref. 5217). Marketed fresh but not highly esteemed; processed into fishmeal (Ref. 3722).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Oviparous (Ref. 41568).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2010-03-01. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Longley and Hildebrand 1941
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Robins and Ray 1986
Cervigón 1993a
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Gilmore and Greenfield 2002
Randall, J.E. and R. Vergara R. (1978) Gerreidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Central Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). Vol. 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.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Watson, W. (1996) Gerreidae: mojarras. p. 998-1001. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current Region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 1505 p.
Patzner, R.A. (2008) Reproductive strategies of fish. pp. 311-350. In Rocha, M.J., A. Arukwe and B.G. Kapoor (eds). Fish reproduction: cytology, biology and ecology. Science Publisher, Inc. Oxford. 631 p.
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