Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous (Ref. 46888); depth range 10 - ? m (Ref. 3791). Subtropical; 32°N - 51°S
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean Sea to Argentina.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 35.0, range 40 - ? cm
Max length : 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); 69.0 cm TL (female); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 9.0 kg (Ref. 5217)
Inhabit coastal marine waters and brackish estuaries (Ref. 3791); also found in hyper-saline lagoons and may enter freshwater (Ref. 5217). Never far from the sea (Ref. 3791). Form sizeable schools (Ref. 3791). Appear to undergo trophic migrations along the coasts (Ref. 35237). Feed on organic detritus and filamentous algae (Ref. 9626). Oviparous, eggs are pelagic and non-adhesive (Ref. 205). Spawn several million eggs (Ref. 35237) at sea (Ref. 3791). Also caught with beach nets (Ref. 5217). Marketed fresh and salted (Ref. 5217). The roe is marketed salt-pickled and dried and considered a delicacy (Ref. 5217).
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. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
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