Trachinotus carolinus
Florida Pompano
NS
G5
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Carangidae (Jacks)
Trachinotus
Trachinotus carolinus (Florida Pompano)
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
Deep bodied and compressed, with relatively short pectoral fins, no scutes on lateral line, and a relatively short anal fin base. Upper and lower profiles of body are about equally convex, and snout is very blunt. Eye possesses poorly developed adipose eyelid. Upper jaw projects slightly beyond lower jaw, and maxilla extends to below middle of eye. Jaw teeth are small, conical, and recurved in juveniles to 200 mm FL, but absent in larger specimens. Tongue lacks teeth. Gill rakers on first arch are lathlike and number 5 to 7 on upper limb and 8 to 14 on lower limb. Branchiostegal rays number 7. Pectoral fin is acutely tipped and has 18 to 20 rays. First dorsal fin consists of six separate spines, with first spine reduced and often covered with flesh in specimens greater than 300 mm FL. Second dorsal fin has one spine and 22 to 27 rays, with anterior rays forming moderately long, acute lobe that fails to reach caudal fin base in adults. Anal fin consists of two free spines followed by one spine and 20 to 24 rays, with anterior rays forming relatively short, acute lobe. Base of anal fin is shorter than base of second dorsal fin. Scales are small, cycloid, and partially embedded. Anterior section of lateral line is slightly wavy. Caudal peduncle lacks upper and lower grooves. Vertebrae number 24: 10 precaudal and 14 caudal.
Color is dark silvery and metallic greenish to bluish dorsally and white laterally and ventrally. Tips of second dorsal fin and anal fin are dark.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil, including the northern and southern Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat Associations
Between the shoreline and 40 m. Adults are pelagic and are associated with sandy beaches around inlets and bays. Juveniles form large schools during the summer in the surf zone along beaches.
Sandy beaches around inlets and bays, surf zone along beaches
Biology
Food consists of mollusks, crabs, shrimps, and small ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size is 350 mm FL.
Adults occur in coastal waters, commonly entering bays and estuaries. Juveniles found in sandy beaches exposed to wave action (Ref. 5217). Adults are absent from insular areas with coralline habitats (Ref. 5217). They generally form small to large schools. They feed on mollusks, crustaceans and other invertebrates and small fish. Excellent food fish (Ref. 9626). Highest priced marine food fish in the USA (Ref. 171). Have been reared in captivity (Ref. 35420).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-08-21. Resilience: Medium (Assuming tm=2-4).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums.
References
Fields 1962
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993a
Cervigón 1993b
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz 2002c
Berry, F.H. and W.F. Smith-Vaniz (1978) Carangidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. West Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). volume 1. FAO, Rome. [var. pag.].
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.
Cervigón, F. (1993) Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 2. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 497 p.
Sierra, L.M., R. Claro and O.A. Popova (1994) Alimentacion y relaciones tróficas. p. 263-284. In Rodolfo Claro (ed.) Ecología de los Peces Marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Gómez-Canchong, P., L. Manjarrés M., L.O. Duarte and J. Altamar (2004) Atlas pesquero del area norte del Mar Caribe de Colombia. Universidad del Magadalena, Santa Marta. 230 p.
Gross, M.R. and R. Shine (1981) Parental care and mode of fertilization in ectothermic vertebrates. Evolution 35(4):775-793.
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