Species: Umbrina coroides, Sand Drum

Umbrina coroides Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830

Sand Drum

Body oblong, moderately elongate, somewhat compressed; back high, arched at nape; head low, broad, conical; mouth ~ horizontal, small, under projecting snout; chin with 1 short, thick rigid barbel with a pore at its tip, and 2 pairs of pores beside its base; snout with 3-5 front pores, 5 on side; teeth in bands on each jaw, outer row on top jaw larger; preopercle finely serrated; 13-15 short gill rakers; top corner of gill opening notched; dorsal fin with a deep notch, X + I, 26-31, spines slender, second dorsal long base; anal small, II, 6 rays, 2nd spine large, >2/3 length of 1st ray; scales rough on head and body, smooth on fins; bases of soft dorsal and anal fins with 1 row of scales along base, small scales on membranes of inner half of soft dorsal; 7-8 scales between dorsal fin origin and lateral line; scale rows under spiny dorsal at 30 degree angle to lateral line; the lateral line extends to the center of the end of the tail fin.

Silver grey, darker on back; body with 9-10 dark bars, dotted wavy lines along scale rows of body, lines under dorsal fin are oblique (30 degrees above parallel); fins dusky; lower sides and belly pale to yellowish; upper inside of gill cover dark.

Size: 35 cm.

Habitat: sandy bottoms along beaches, mud bottoms near estuaries; sometimes near coral reefs.

Depth: 1-15 m?

Chesapeake Bay to NE Brazil.