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

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.