Species: Centropomus ensiferus, Swordspine Snook

Centropomus ensiferus Poey, 1860
Swordspine Snook
Body oblong, compressed, moderately deep; upper head profile straight to slightly concave; mouth large and protractile, lower jaw protruding; teeth small, in bands; margin of preopercle serrated; gill rakers 14-22; dorsal rays VIII + I,10 (rarely 9), 3rd spine 13.8-18.1% SL, ~height 4th; anal fin short, III strong spines, 5-7 (usually 6), second spine very stout, curved, very long, reaching to or beyond level of tail fin base when depressed; pectoral soft rays 14-17, fin ~reaching rear tip of pelvic; pelvics insert a little behind pectoral base, with I strong spine and 5 rays; tips of pelvic fins reach to or past anus; scales large, rough, lateral scales (immediately above lateral line) 49-59 (usually 50-57); 6-9 (usually 6-8) scales between lateral line and origin of 2nd dorsal fin, 9-11 between lateral line and anal fin origin; lateral line extends to the end of the forked tail fin.
Overall yellow-brown to greenish-brown above, silvery below; lateral line dark, outlined in black (not all black); fins dusky.
Size: to 35 cm.
Inhabits bays, estuaries, and lower reaches of freshwater streams.
Depth: 0-22 m.
Florida to southern Brazil.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Brackish
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom + water column
- Mid Water
- Near Bottom
- Habitat
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- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Soft bottom only
- Water column
- Beach
- Estuary
- Freshwater
- Mangrove
- Mud
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Also in Brazil
- Continent
- Continent + Island (s)
- Extends South of GC
- GC non-endemic
- Island (s)
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 35
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 22