Genus: Ophioscion, Croakers


OPHIOSCION
CROAKERS
Body elongate, more or less compressed; head low and short, cavernous but firm to touch on top; snout overhangs small, horizontal mouth; teeth on lower jaw simple, in bands; snout with 8-12 pores; chin with 5 pores, without barbels; gill rakers short (< ½ length of gill filaments at angle of arch); preopercle serrated, often moderately strong spines; top corner of gill opening notched; dorsal fin continuous but deeply notched, 23-25 soft rays; anal fin short based, 2nd spine strong, at least 80% of length of 1st ray, 6-8 rays; tail long, pointed to S shaped; scales on body and all or most of head rough; soft dorsal and anal with a scaly sheath; the lateral line extends to the center of the end of the tail fin.
A tropical to subtropical new world genus with 10 species; 1 SW Atlantic species in our area.