| Spot croaker | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Sciaenidae |
| Genus: | Leiostomus |
| Species: | L. xanthurus |
| Binomial name | |
| Leiostomus xanthurus Lacépède, 1802 |
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| Spot croaker range map | |
The spot croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus) or spot is a small saltwater fish. The species inhabits estuary and coastal waters along the eastern coast of United States, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean.[2] The spot derives its name from the prominent dark spot behind each gill. It is the only species in the genus Leiostomus. Spot are frequently caught by recreational anglers and make excellent table fare. Their diet consists largely of organic detritus, small crustaceans, and worms. Bloodworms are the ideal bait when fishing for spot.
The community of Hampstead, North Carolina hosts the North Carolina Spot Festival the last weekend of September to honor the spot fish.[3]
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In almost every common name for the spot croaker there is a reference to the darkened "spot" above the gill cover of the mature individuals. The croaker part of the name comes the association to the loud croaking sound that they produce with their swim bladder.[4] The spot croaker is called a spot croaker or simply a spot by most countries that have a coastline within the spot croakers natural range.[5]
The genus Leiostomus belongs to the family Sciaenidae. This family contains 270 species from 70 genera that live in fresh, brackish, and marine water environments. All members of the genus Leiostomus carry either croaker or drum of some sort. This is because of the croaking sound that they produce.[6]
The spot croaker is a deep-bodied flat fish with an arched back. A large black spot is set above the upper edge of the gill cover. Their body color is gray-blue dorsally, fading to yellow ventrally. It also has a set of 12–15 darker streaks that run forward diagonally from the dorsal surface to about the middle of its body. These streaks often fade with age. The fins are pale yellow in color. The head is blunt with a small mouth. The upper jawbone extends to approximately the middle of the eye.[1] There are no teeth in the lower jaw.[7] The dorsal fin is almost continuous, with a dip separating the stiff dorsal spines from the soft rays. There are 9-11 dorsal spines, and 29–35 soft rays. The anal fin has 2 spines and 12–13 rays. The caudal area is moderately deep, and the caudal fin is notched. A large black spot is set above the upper edge of the gill cover.[1]
Being in the family Sciaenidae the spot croaker has the ability to produce a croaking sound. [7] This croaking sound is the most recognizable auditory trait of the spot croaker as its name suggests. The Spot croaker uses muscles called sonic muscle fibers that run horizontally along their body, around their swim bladder, and are connected to a central tendon which runs ventrally around the swim bladder. The Spot croaker contracts its sonic muscle fibers against the swim bladder to produce the croaking sound that they are well known for. The swim bladder of the Spot croaker, is used as a resonating chamber, which is more expansive and branched than the swim bladder of a fish not in the Sciaenidae family.[8]
The Spot croaker is native to the atlantic coast of the U.S., the Florida keys, and the gulf of mexico. The Spot croaker inhabits costal areas that are no deeper than 60 m. [1] During the summer months Spot croakers inhabit shallower bays and estuaries and move out into the costal waters during the winter months as the temperature drops, the northern populations also migrate south for the winter until the water warms up again. [9]
Spot croakers populate the area along the Atlantic coast in both estuarine and coastal waters from Maine to Florida, the highest concentration of spot croakers are between the Chesapeake Bay and South Carolina. spot croakers migrate seasonally, staying in bays and estuaries in the spring, until late summer when the move offshore to spawn. Spot croakers mature around the age of two or three, and grow seven to eight inches in length. They can live up to six years, although fish older than four are rare. Spawning takes place offshore from fall to early spring the young spot croakers live in low salinity tidal creeks until they develop into juveniles. As spot mature, they migrate toward higher salinity areas. Those that summered in the northern portion of their range also move south in the autumn. Spot croakers are bottom feeders and their diet consists of worms, mollusks, and small crustaceans. Predators of the spot croaker include striped bass, weakfish, summer flounder, bluefish, and various species of shark [9]
The short lifespan of spot makes their year to year fishing take fluctuate greatly. However, there is not a lot of information on the population of the species, so it cannot be concluded whether or not they are overfished, as well as the general health of the species. Until more information becomes available on the species, the management of spot will continue to be minimal in the regulations set forth.
<ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Sciaenidae; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text