Equetus punctatus
Sciaenidae / Drums or Croakers family
Description: When they are in the juvenile phase, they are very small almost resembling a playing jack, but with a really really really LOOOONG dorsal fin. Click here for a young juvenile photo. They then grow into their dorsal and anal fins as adults, but it still remains somewhat elongated and prominent. The front half and lower half of their bodies are black and white striped giving way to black and white spots on the rear dorsal and tail fins. They look like an 80s punk/glam rocker!
Color: Black and white.
Size: Adults range from 6-11 inches. Juveniles look like specks reminding you of those pesky fruit flies that are bugging all of this, this time of year.
Range: Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), and Bahamas to the Antilles and Yucatan (Mexico) to Brazil.
Habitat: secluded bottom reef areas, under ledges, near cave openings.
Depth: Reef associated, 10-100’.
Behavior: Secretive and usually solitary, under ledges or near small caves. A night feeder; voracious carnivore of crustaceans.
Interesting Facts: When a drum fish is pulled from the water, they emit a distinctive knock or, in the case of a croaker fish, an eerie froglike croak.
Photo of two older juveniles – spots not fully prominent yet.
[photo courtesy of nurseshark, all copyrights retained by photographer]
