Shorthead drum
📖 Overview
Inhabits coastal waters, usually found over mud and sandy mud bottoms . Also in estuaries . Important food fish.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 26; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. Colour silvery grey, darker above. A dark spot at bases of pectoral fins. Pelvic and anal fins often yellowish. A medium-sized to small fish, short and robust. Mouth very large, strongly oblique, lower jaw projecting. Teeth very small and sharp, set in 1 or 2 rows along edges of jaws. Chin without barbels, but with 4 minute pores. Snout with 5 marginal pores, no rostral pores. Gas bladder with a pair of small, horn-like anterior appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) thick and short (Ref 51721).: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Shorthead drum is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 1 - 60 m . Tropical; 21°N - 26°S, 90°W - 34°W
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Shorthead drum is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19.1 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 248 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Shorthead drum has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (lean white fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 6 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Shorthead drum ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.