Species: Pogonias cromis, Black Drum

Pogonias cromis (Linnaeus, 1766)

Black Drum

Body oblong, moderately deep, compressed; mouth under snout, nearly horizontal; chin with 5 pores and 3 pairs of barbells, lower jaw with a row of 8-22 barbells; teeth simple, in bands; lower teeth in throat molar-like, fused in triangular plate; gill rakers short and stout, 16-21; preopercle smooth; top corner of gill opening notched; dorsal fin with deep notch separating spiny and soft parts, XI slender spines, 19-22 rays; anal fin small, with II spines, 5-7 rays, second spine long (3/4 length of 1st ray) and stout; pectoral fin short, not reaching anus; tail edge straight to slightly concave; scales rough, except a few smooth below eyes, small on breast, soft dorsal with 2-3 rows of smooth scales along its base; the lateral line extends to the center of the end of the tail fin.

Silvery bronze to black; young and small adults with 4-5 black bars; pelvics and anal very dark.

Size to 150 cm; IGFA world record 51.3 kg.

Habitat sand and mud bottoms of coastal waters and surf zones, especially in areas near large river mouths; juveniles enter estuaries.

Depth: 1-50 m; usually shallow.

Maine to the Gulf of Mexico

Note: the brazilian sister species of P. cromis is P. courbina.