Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Etymology: Equetus: Latin, eques, -itis = horse, man in a horse, chevalier .

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 30 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical, preferred ?; 33°N - 33°S, 98°W - 34°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), and Bahamas to the Antilles (Ref. 26340) and Yucatan (Mexico) (Ref. 26938) to Brazil.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 27.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340); common length : 18.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45-47; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 6 - 8. First dorsal fin very high with short base. Second dorsal and caudal fins dark with white spots and dashes (Ref. 26938). Head white with two dark brown bars, one through eye, the other more posterior and more diagonal, extending across chest to pelvic fins; body white with a broad dark brown band beginning on front of first dorsal fin, curving across nape, above pectoral fin, and running to mid-base of caudal fin; two narrower dark stripes above and below this band (Ref. 13442). Mouth small, inferior, nearly horizontal. Spinous dorsal fin very elevated, higher than head length. Gas bladder simple, carrot-shaped without appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) near rounded and thick (Ref 51721).

Occurs primarily on coral reefs. Secretive and usually solitary, under ledges or near small caves (Ref. 7251). Often seen during the day around the bases of corals (Ref. 26938). Feeds at night on crabs, shrimps, and polychaetes. Easily approached (Ref. 9710). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35420).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Oviparous (Ref. 240).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00851 (0.00412 - 0.01760), b=3.09 (2.92 - 3.26), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.5 ±0.3 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (23 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Equetus punctatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)