Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system

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Species: Micropogonias altipinnis, Golden croaker, Highfin croaker, Tallfin croaker

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

eye small
D: front high; 19-23
chin: 4-5 pairs barbels
preoperculum - 2 spines at angle

Micropogonias altipinnis (Günther, 1864)

Golden croaker, Highfin croaker, Tallfin croaker

Body elongate, moderately compressed; prominent snout; eye relatively small (< 1/2 snout length); mouth small, under snout, lips thin; teeth simple, no canines, outer row teeth of upper jaw slightly enlarged; 4-5 inconspicuous barbels along inner side of lower jaw;  margin of preopercle strongly serrated, 2 spines at the angle; gill rakers 24-25; dorsal rays X + I, 19-23, first dorsal tall, reaching beyond origin of second dorsal fin when depressed; anal rays II, 7-8, 2nd  spine robust, > half length of 1st  anal ray; tail margin a short, blunt point, upper lobe slightly concave; scales large, rough on body and nape, smooth on breast and cheek; pored lateral-line scales 48-52; soft dorsal and anal fins without scales.

Silvery with a golden hue; scale rows above lateral line with faint brownish longitudinal streaks, also several oblique bars running upward and backward, crossing arched portion of lateral line; fins yellowish, dorsal and caudal fins somewhat dusky.

Size: attains 66 cm.

Inhabits coastal waters.

Depth: 1-104 m.

Southern Baja and the central Gulf of California to northern Peru.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Brackish
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Near Bottom
  • Bottom + water column
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Beach
  • Soft bottom only
  • Freshwater
  • Estuary
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Bentho-Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic worms
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Bony fishes
Egg Type
  • No data
  • Pelagic larva
  • Pelagic
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • East Pacific endemic
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent only
  • TEP endemic
  • Continental TEP endemic
  • 3 provinces (Cortez + Mexican + Panamic) endemic
  • All species
  • Continent
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
  • Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
  • North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
  • South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 66
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 104