Leiostomus xanthurus
(Lacepéde 1802)
Family Sciaenidae
The spot is a member of the drum and croaker family. It has a short, compressed body with a blunt snout, rounded dorsal profile and nearly ventral profile. This species has a moderately large and subterminal mouth, and the teeth in the jaws are small and villiform. There are no barbels on the chin, and the preopercle is smooth or nearly so. The silvery body has between eleven and fifteen slightly oblique bars along the side. There is a single large humeral spot found near the upper gill cover edge, and the pectoral and pelvic fins are dusky yellow. The spot is a marine species that enters nearshore water bodies including rivers, creeks, canals and ditches. This species is only found over sandy or muddy substrate.
Status & distribution
- Status — Marine invader
- Florida Distribution — Western and North Central drainages, the Gulf Coast, South Florida and the Atlantic Coast