Species: Centropomus mexicanus, Large-scale fat snook, Largescale fat snook


pectoral 14-17, fin =/> pelvic
Centropomus mexicanus Bocourt, 1868
Largescale fat 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 14-17, lower rakers 9-12; dorsal rays VIII + I, 9 (rarely 8 or 10), 3rd spine > 4th; anal fin short, III strong spines, 5-7 (usually 6), second spine very stout, curved, longer than 3rd spine when erect, not reaching to level of tail fin base when depressed; pectoral soft rays 14-17, fin about as long as 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) 68-79 (usually 70-77); 10-15 (usually 11-14) scales between lateral line and origin of 2nd dorsal fin, 10-16 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; dark lateral line; fins dusky, tail fin reddish.
Size: to 60 cm.
Inhabits bays, estuaries, more frequently marine than in freshwater.
Depth: 0-20 m.
SE Florida and the W Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Brackish
- Freshwater
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Mid Water
- Bottom + water column
- Near Bottom
- Habitat
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- Soft bottom only
- Mud
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Mangrove
- Freshwater
- Estuary
- Water column
- Beach
- Sand & gravel
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Bony fishes
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- West Atlantic Endemic
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- Extends South of GC
- Island (s)
- GC non-endemic
- Continent + Island (s)
- Continent
- All species
- Also in Brazil
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 60
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 20