| Macrodon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| King weakfish (Macrodon ancylodon) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Sciaenidae |
| Genus: | Macrodon Schinz, 1822 |
| Type species | |
| Lonchurus ancylodon | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Macrodon is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic Oceans.
Macrodon was first proposed as a genus by the Swiss physician and naturalist Heinrich Rudolf Schinz with Lonchurus ancylodon, [1] a species described in 1801 by Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider from Surinam, [2] as its type species. Macrodon was a replacement name for Lorenz Oken's Ancylodon which was preoccupied by Ancylodon Illiger, 1811, [1] a cetacean genus. [3] This genus has been placed in the subfamily Cynoscioninae by some workers, [4] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sciaenidae which it places in the order Acanthuriformes. [5]
Macrodon means “large tooth” and is an allusion to the large, backwards curving teeth in front of the upper jaw. [6]
Macrodon contains three species: [7]
Macrodon weakfishes have elongated, compressed bodies. They have moderately large eyes and a large mouth which is diagonal and points upwards with a protruding lower jaw. There are no barbels on the chin and there are two pores, one on each side, of the snout. They have large, pointed teeth with the two in the front of the upper jaw are canine-like and recurved with barbed tips. The preoperculum is soft and has small serrations. The anal fin has a short base with two weakspines and eight or nine soft rays. The rear edge of the caudal fin has a S shape. The scales are small and the soft rayed part of the dorsal fin nd the anal fin are scaled. [8] The maximum published total length of these fishes is 45 cm (18 in) for M. ancylodon and M. atricauda while in M. mordax it is 50 cm (20 in). [7]
Macrodon weakfishes are found off the coasts of southern Central America and South America. Two species are found in the western Atlantic from Venezuela south to northern Argentina. One species, M. mordax is found in the eastern Pacific from Panama to Ecuador. They are coastal fishes of shallow waters including lagoons and estuaries. [9] [10] [11]
Macrodon weakfishes are either deliberately targeted or caught as bycatch by commercial and artisanal fisheries and they are valued as food fish. The two Atlantic species are classified by the IUCN as Least Concern while M. mordax is Data Deficient. [11] [12] [13]
Pogonias is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Sciaenidae. It was formerly believed to be a monotypic genus only containing the black drum, but a second species was re-described in 2019.
Cilus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the croakers and drums. Its only species is Cilus gilberti, the corvina or corvina drum, which is found mostly tropical to temperate coastal waters of the southeastern Pacific along Central and South America. The corvina is highly prized in South America as a food fish.
Pareques acuminatus, commonly known as the high-hat, donkeyfish, cubbyu, Steindachner's ribbonfish, streaked ribbonfish, striped ribbonfish or striped drum, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the genus Pareques in the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Cynoscion arenarius, sand seatrout, sand weakfish or white trout, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is closely related to the common weakfish and may be a subspecies of C. regalis.
Nebris is a small genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. There are two species in the genus, one in the Western Atlantic Ocean and one in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Panna is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in southern and southeast Asia.
The blackspotted croaker, also known in Australia as the black jewfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific region. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Protonibea.
Reeve's croaker, also known as the goldbelly croaker, golden corvina, yellowfin croaker or yellowfin corvina, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Chrysochir.
Atractoscion is a genus of marine ray-finned fished belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. The fishes in this genus are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Lonchurus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the Western Atlantic.
Odontoscion dentex, the reef croaker or brown large-eyed croaker, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is found in coral and rocky reefs of the tropical Western Atlantic, living as solitary individuals or in small groups at a depth of 1 to 30 m. This species feeds on small fish, shrimp, and larvae.
The geelbeck croaker, also known as the African weakfish or Cape salmon, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean off southeastern Africa.
The yellowtail croaker, also known as the yellowtail jewfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean off northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Austronibea.
Cheilotrema is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Isopisthus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans.
Johnius dussumieri, the sin croaker, Dussumier's croaker, Dussumier's silver jewfish, sharptooth hammer croaker or whiskered croaker, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This fish is found in the Indian Ocean.
The kathala croaker is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the Indian Ocean off South Asia. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Kathala.
Micropogonias furnieri, the whitemouth croaker, golden croaker, hardhead, mangrove snapper, rocandoronco, two-belly bashaw, West Indian croaker, West Indian drum or whitemouth drummer, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This fish is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Odontoscion is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the croakers and drums. These fishes are found in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans.
The half-mourning croaker is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Paranibea. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific region.