Species: Centropomus undecimalis, Common snook

Centropomus undecimalis (Bloch, 1792)

Common snook

Body oblong, compressed, slender; upper head profile slightly concave;  mouth large and protractile, lower jaw protruding; teeth small, in bands; margin of preopercle serrated; gill rakers 18-24, lower rakers 8-10; dorsal rays VIII + I, 10 (rarely 9 or 11), 3rd spine > 4th; anal fin short, III strong spines, 5-7 (usually 6), 2nd spine thick and curved, longer than 3rd spine when erect, but not reaching to base of tail fin when depressed; pectoral soft rays 14-16 (usually 15-16), fin about as long 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) 67-77 (usually 68-75); 10-14 scales between lateral line and anal fin origin; lateral line extends to the end of the forked tail fin.