Southern kingcroaker
📖 Overview
Inhabits coastal waters, usually over sandy-mud to hard sand bottoms. Common along beaches. Juveniles occur usually in water of lower salinity.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 - 25; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. : fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Southern kingcroaker is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Southern kingcroaker is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range ? - 40 m . Subtropical; 43°N - 42°S, 98°W - 34°W
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Southern kingcroaker 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 | 21.2 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 326 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Southern kingcroaker has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Carolina Whiting · Kingfish · Sand Whiting · Sea Mullet · Sea Smelt · Southamerican Kingcroaker · Southern Kingfish · Woundhead · jewsharp drummer · southern kingcroaker |
| 🌍CES | smuha americká |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Amerikansk kongetrommefisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Südlicher Königsumber |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | サンカクニベ |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Corvina-manchada · Pira-siririca |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Американский королевский горбыль |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Berrugato · Burriqueta · Lambe Caletero · Rastreador · Ratón del golfo · berrugato zorro |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 美洲無鰾石首魚 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyprinus americanus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Menthicirrhus americanus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Menticirrhus gracilis | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Menticirrhus martinicensis | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Perca alburnus | Linnaeus | 1766 | Synonym |
| Umbrina arenata | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Umbrina gracilis | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Umbrina januaria | Steindachner | 1876 | Synonym |
| Umbrina martinicensis | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Umbrina phalaena | Girard | 1858 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 145 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Southern kingcroaker ↗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.