Overview

Comprehensive Description

Description

Common names: croaker (English), corvinata (Espanol), ronco (Espanol), cholesca (Espanol)
 
Bairdiella ensifera (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)


Sword-spine croaker



Body elongate, oblong, compressed; head narrow, cavernous but firm to touch; snout short, blunt; mouth large (reaching to under rear edge of eye), a little oblique, opens at front;  chin without barbells, with 5 pores; teeth conical, in rows; lower gill rakers 16-18, total 24-26, longest raker longer than ½ gill filament behind it; preopercular margin strongly serrated with 8-12 spines, including 2-3 strong spines at angle, the lowermost directed downwards and forward; dorsal fin X, I, 22-24, deeply notched between spines and rays; anal fin II, 8-9, second anal spine extremely strong, reaching tail fin base when depressed; tail fin bluntly pointed; scales rough, except smooth around eyes and on fins; pored lateral-line scales 47-55.

Color silvery with dark spot on axil of pectoral fins; pectoral, pelvic, anal and tail fins yellowish; tip of lower jaw with black lining.

Size: grows to about 35 cm.

Inhabits coastal seas, estuaries, and river mouths; feeds on crustacean larvae, shrimps, and fishes.


Depth: 1-20 m?

Southern Mexico to Peru.

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Biology

Inhabits coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths (Ref. 9118). Feeds on crustacean larvae, small shrimps and fishes (Ref. 9118).
  • Chao, L.N. 1995 Sciaenidae. Corvinas, barbiches, bombaches, corvinatas, corvinetas, corvinillas, lambes, pescadillas, roncachos, verrugatos. p. 1427-1518. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para identificacion de especies para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico Centro-oriental. 3 volumes. 1813 p. (Ref. 9118)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9118&speccode=13985 External link.
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Distribution

Range Description

This species is endemic to the Eastern Pacific, and is found from southern Mexico to Peru.
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Depth

Depth Range (m): 1 (G) - 20 (G)
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Zoogeography

See Map (including site records) of Distribution in the Tropical Eastern Pacific


 
Global Endemism: All species, East Pacific endemic, Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic

Regional Endemism: All species, TEP endemic, Continental TEP endemic, Mexican + Panamic provinces endemic, Continent, Continent only

Residency: Resident

Climate Zone: Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos), Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo), South Temperate (Peruvian Province )

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Eastern Pacific: southern Mexico to Peru.
  • Chao, L.N. 1995 Sciaenidae. Corvinas, barbiches, bombaches, corvinatas, corvinetas, corvinillas, lambes, pescadillas, roncachos, verrugatos. p. 1427-1518. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para identificacion de especies para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico Centro-oriental. 3 volumes. 1813 p. (Ref. 9118)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9118&speccode=13985 External link.
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Physical Description

Morphology

Size

Length max (cm): 35.0 (S)
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Size

Maximum size: 350 mm TL
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Max. size

35.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 9118))
  • Chao, L.N. 1995 Sciaenidae. Corvinas, barbiches, bombaches, corvinatas, corvinetas, corvinillas, lambes, pescadillas, roncachos, verrugatos. p. 1427-1518. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para identificacion de especies para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico Centro-oriental. 3 volumes. 1813 p. (Ref. 9118)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9118&speccode=13985 External link.
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Type Information

Type for Sciaena ensifera
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): C. Gilbert
Locality: Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, Pacific
  • Type:
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Type for Sciaena ensifera
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): C. Gilbert
Locality: Panama, Pacific
  • Type:
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Type for Sciaena ensifera
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): C. Gilbert
Locality: Panama, Pacific
  • Type:
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Type for Sciaena ensifera
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): C. Gilbert
Locality: Panama, Pacific
  • Type:
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Type for Sciaena ensifera
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): C. Gilbert
Locality: Panama, Pacific
  • Type:
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Type for Sciaena ensifera
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): C. Gilbert
Locality: Panama, Pacific
  • Type:
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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology
This benthopelagic species inhabits sandy/muddy substrate in shallow coastal waters to 20m. It also enters estuaries and sometimes river mouths.

Systems
  • Marine
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Depth range based on 4 specimens in 1 taxon.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 1 - 16

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 1 - 16
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Habitat

Salinity: Marine, Brackish

Inshore/Offshore: Inshore, Inshore Only

Water Column Position: Mid Water, Near Bottom, Bottom, Bottom + water column

Habitat: Soft bottom (mud, sand,gravel, beach, estuary & mangrove), Mud, Sand & gravel, Estuary, Mangrove, Water column

FishBase Habitat: Bentho-Pelagic
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Environment

benthopelagic; brackish; marine
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Trophic Strategy

Inhabits coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths. Feeds on crustacean larvae, small shrimps and fishes.
  • Chao, L.N. 1995 Sciaenidae. Corvinas, barbiches, bombaches, corvinatas, corvinetas, corvinillas, lambes, pescadillas, roncachos, verrugatos. p. 1427-1518. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para identificacion de especies para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico Centro-oriental. 3 volumes. 1813 p. (Ref. 9118)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9118&speccode=13985 External link.
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Feeding

Feeding Group: Carnivore

Diet: mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs), Pelagic crustacea, bony fishes
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Life History and Behavior

Reproduction

Reproduction

Egg Type: Pelagic, Pelagic larva
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Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment


Red List Category
LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2010

Assessor/s
Chao, L., Robertson, R., Espinosa, H., Findley, L., van der Heiden, A.

Reviewer/s
Carpenter, K., Polidoro, B., Livingstone, S. (Global Marine Species Assessment Team)

Justification
This species is widespread in the Eastern Pacific, and is relatively common in at least parts of its range. There are no major threats for this species, and no current indication of population decline. It is listed as Least Concern.
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Conservation status

IUCN Red List: Not evaluated / Listed

CITES: Not listed
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Population

Population
No population information is available for this species. However, market observations indicate that the species is common at least in Peru.

Population Trend
Unknown
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Threats

Threats

Major Threats
There are no major threats known for this species. However, this species is considered important for artisanal fishing in Gulf of Montijo, Panama (Vega, 2004).
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Least Concern (LC)
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Management

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions
There are no known conservation measures for this species. However, this species distribution falls partially into a number of Marine Protected Areas in the Eastern Pacific region (WDPA 2006).
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