Species: Larimus fasciatus, Banded Drum

Larimus fasciatus Holbrook, 1855

Banded Drum

Body short and robust, back elevated; head short, compressed; snout very short; eye large; mouth large, strongly oblique, lower jaw projecting; teeth very small and pointed, set in 1-2 rows along edges of jaws; 4 minute pores on tip of chin, no barbel; snout with 5 edge pores; preopercular margin smooth; gill rakers very long and slender, 34-36, longest = eye; top corner of gill opening notched; dorsal rays X + I, 24-27; anal rays II, 6-7, second spine long and stout, ¾ length of 1st ray; tail fin rounded in adult; scales larger, rough on body and head, except before and below eyes; lateral line extends to the center of the end of the tail fin.

Greyish olive above, silvery below; 7-9 conspicuous dark bars from behind operculum to tail base; inside operculum dark; a dark spot on pectoral base; lower parts of pevlics, anal and tail fins yellowish.

Size: attains 25 cm.

Inhabits coastal waters on mud and sand bottoms; not common in estuaries.

Depth: 1-182 m.

Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico.