| Spotted drum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| adult | |
 | |
| juvenile | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Sciaenidae |
| Genus: | Eques |
| Species: | E. punctatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Eques punctatus | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
The spotted drum or spotted ribbonfish (Eques punctatus), is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. [3] This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The spotted drum was first formally described in 1801 by Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Schneider with its type locality given as Cuba. [2] The genus name, Eques was considered to be preoccupied by a name Linnaeus had used for a subgenus of Papilio , and Constantine Samuel Rafinesque created Equitus to replace Eques, however, Linnaeus's name is considered to be invalid so Eques is now considered valid. [4] Fishbase classifies this species in the monospecific genus Equetus [5] but other authorities include it Eques, treating Equetus as a synonym of Eques. [6] This taxon has been placed in the subfamily Sciaeninae by some workers, [7] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sciaenidae which it places in the order Acanthuriformes. [8]
The spotted drum has an oblong-shaped body, deep at the head, which tapers to a slender caudal peduncle. They have a low headwith a snout which protrudes over the small, horizontal mouth. The first, spiny part of the dorsal fin is short based and very high with between 12 and 14 spines, the second part of the dorsal fin is long based and is supported by a single spine and between 45 and 47 soft rays. The anal fin contains 2 spines and between 8 and 8 soft rays. The body is covered in ctenoid scales and the lateral line extends to the centre of the caudal fin. [9] The caudal, anal and soft-rayed part of the dorsal fins are dark coloured with white spotting. The head and the spiny part of the dorsal fin are marked with vertical white and dark brown bars, which curve to create longitudinal stripes along the body. [10] The small juveniles have a white body with 3 black bars, the rearmost bar running through the dorsal fin onto the caudal fin, with an oval black spot on the snout and a black stripe on the pectoral fin. [11] This species has a maximum published total length of 27 cm (11 in), although 18 cm (7.1 in) is more typical. [12]
The spotted drum is found in the western Atlantic where it occurs in the Bahamas, in the Gulf of Mexico where it is found from the Florida Keys and off the coast of Mexico from Tuxpan in Veracruz and from the Yucatan to Cuba, then throughout the Caribbean Sea. Reports from Bahia, Brazil and Bermuda need to be confirmed. [1] This species occurs at depths between 3 and 30 m (9.8 and 98.4 ft) and is associated with coral reefs. [12]
The spotted drum is frequently observed during the day under ledges or near the opening of small caves, at depths between 3 and 30 metres (98 ft), where it swims in repetitive patterns. A nocturnal feeder, it leaves the protection of its daily shelter at night to feed mainly on small crustaceans and Polychaete worms. [3]
Micropogonias 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.
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.
The jack-knifefish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, where its distribution extends along the eastern coasts of the Americas from the Carolinas in the United States to Brazil, including the Caribbean. Other common names include donkey fish and lance-shaped ribbonfish.
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.
Sciaena 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 and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Bairdiella 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 Ocean.
Drepane punctata, the butterfish, concertinafish, jetto, peppercorn, sickle-fish, silver moonfish, spotted batfish, spotted sicklefish, sicklefish or spotted spadefish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Drepaneidae, the sicklefishes. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific.
Johnius amblycephalus, the bearded croaker, also known as the green-backed croaker or sharp-nosed jewfish, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This fish is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
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.
The blackbar drum is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the genus Pareques in the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Aplodactylus punctatus, the Zamba marblefish, is a species of marine ray finned fish, one of the marblefishes belonging to the family Aplodactylidae. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean of the west coast of South America.
The prickly croaker is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. The species is found in the Indo-West Pacific around southeast Asia. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Aspericorvina.
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.
Ctenosciaena 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 southeastern Pacific Oceans.
Eques is a small genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
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.
Paralonchurus 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 with one species in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Protosciaena is a small genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
