Species: Centropomus poeyi, Mexican snook

Centropomus poeyi Chávez, 1961

Mexican 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 15-18, lower rakers 9-12; dorsal rays VIII + I, 9, 3rd spine > 4th; anal fin short, III strong spines, 6, 2nd anal spine slightly curved, may not be longer than 3rd when erect, not reaching to base of tail fin when depressed; pectoral soft rays 16 (15-17), fin ~same length as pelvic; pelvics insert a little behind pectoral base, with I strong spine and 5 rays; tips of pelvic fins not reaching anus in adults; scales large, rough, lateral scales (immediately above lateral line) 73-80 (usually 75-80); scales from lateral line to origin of 2nd dorsal fin 10-13 (usually 11-12), 12-15 scales between lateral line and anal fin origin; lateral line extends to the end of the forked tail fin.