saltwater
Atlantic Croaker
Micropogonias undulatus
Elongated, slightly compressed body with a silvery-grey coloration and dark, wavy streaks or spots along the upper back. It possesses distinctive small barbels on the chin used for sensing prey in sediment.
- Habitat
- Inshore marine and estuarine waters, typically found ove…
- Size & weight
- Usually 30 to 50 cm in length, weighing up to 2 kg.
- Diet
- Bottom feeder consuming small crustaceans, worms, and sm…
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Physical characteristics
Elongated, slightly compressed body with a silvery-grey coloration and dark, wavy streaks or spots along the upper back. It possesses distinctive small barbels on the chin used for sensing prey in sediment.
Habitat & distribution
Inshore marine and estuarine waters, typically found over sandy or muddy bottoms along the Atlantic coast.
Behavior
Forms loose schools near the bottom, known for producing a characteristic croaking sound using its swim bladder.
Diet
Bottom feeder consuming small crustaceans, worms, and small fish.
Reproduction
Spawns in offshore waters during the fall and winter, after which larvae migrate back into nutrient-rich estuaries to mature.
Ecological role
Acts as both predator of benthic invertebrates and prey for larger marine predators, helping cycle nutrients in estuarine ecosystems.
Similar species
Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), which lacks the chin barbels and has a dark spot behind the gills.
Identification tips
Look for the silvery body, undulating dark stripes, and the small barbels under the chin.
Interesting facts
The croaking sound is produced by the contraction of muscles surrounding the swim bladder, often used during communication.