Distinguishing Characteristics |
Body elongate and moderately compressed; color grayish above, silvery below, no spots; lower jaw protruding slightly, mouth supraterminal; inside of mouth orange; 2 fang-like teeth on tip of upper jaw; dorsal fin with deep notch; caudal fin S-shaped in adults, pointed in juveniles; 1/2 of soft dorsal fin base covered in scales; anal fin base about the same length as eye diameter. |
Similar Species |
Sand and silver seatrout are difficult to distinguish, the best way is to count the anal fin rays, silver seatrout have 9 rays, sand seatrout have 10 or 11 rays; sand seatrout have scales covering 1/3 of the soft dorsal fin base (1/2 or more in silver seatrout); spotted seatrout have spots on sides. |
Habitat |
Gulf, shallow and deeper waters, a deeper species than sand seatrout |
Maximum Size |
40 cm (15 1/2 in), common to 25 cm (10 in) |
Fin Element Counts |
D. XI,27-29; A. II,9 (explain) |
Other Common Names |
Gulf trout |
Previous Scientific Names |
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Comments |
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State size/bag limits |
None; Check for state record. |