Species: Cynoscion nebulosus, Spotted Seatrout, Spotted Weakfish

Cynoscion nebulosus (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830)

Spotted Seatrout, Spotted Weakfish

Elongate and moderately compressed; mouth large, oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting; teeth in multiple rows with 2 large canines at tip of upper jaw, inner row of teeth on lower jaw close set, enlarged, uniform in size; gill rakers short and slender, 9-12; no pores or barbels on chin; 2 pores on side of snout; preoperculum smooth; top corner of gill opening notched; dorsal rays IX-X + I, 25-28; anal rays II (weak),10-11; pectoral fins < pelvic fins; rear margin of tail straight to slightly concave; scales on body large and rough; body scales equal to or larger than lateral line scales; soft dorsal without scales except for 2-3 rows along its base; lateral line arched anteriorly and straight well before level of anus, extends to the center of the end of the tail fin.

Body silvery grey; numerous round black spots irregularly scattered on upper half of body and dorsal and tail fins; upper rays of pectoral, spinous dorsal dusky, other fins yellowish.

Size: reaches 70 cm; IGFA record 7.9 kg; max age 18 y.

Inhabits sand bottoms of estuaries and coastal areas, often in seagrass beds, marshes and high-salinity tidal pools.

Depth: 1-18 m.

New York to the SW Gulf of Mexico.