Found in shallow coastal waters as well as in protected bays and estuaries (Ref. 10198). Occurs in large schools and burrows in the sand at times to a depth of several inches.

Gulf of Maine, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Manicouagan, North West Atlantic, Saint Lawrence River

Northwest Atlantic: southern Delaware north to Labrador.

Labrador to southern Delaware

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Western Atlantic.

Western North Atlantic: from southern Delaware north to Labrador.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 52 - 61; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 26 - 33; Vertebrae: 62 - 70

Maximum size: 220 mm ---

23.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 5951))

to 22 cm TL (male/unsexed).

Number of lateral plicae 106-126, with a mean of 117.4. Best separated from A. dubius by the number of plicae singly or in combination with the number of vertebrae.

demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 73 m (Ref. 57178)

Bottom living species found in shallow bays and protected bays and estuaries, often on or burrowing into sandy bottom; to 20 m in Gulf of Maine.

benthic

Depth range based on 75 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 23 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 1.5 - 205
  Temperature range (°C): 0.713 - 16.407
  Nitrate (umol/L): 1.743 - 16.048
  Salinity (PPS): 31.462 - 34.602
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.655 - 7.197
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.372 - 1.245
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.132 - 10.545

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 1.5 - 205

Temperature range (°C): 0.713 - 16.407

Nitrate (umol/L): 1.743 - 16.048

Salinity (PPS): 31.462 - 34.602

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.655 - 7.197

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.372 - 1.245

Silicate (umol/l): 2.132 - 10.545
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Habitat Type: Marine

Demersal; marine. Found in shallow coastal waters as well as in protected bays and estuaries. Occurs in large schools and burrows in the sand.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Feeds on copepods, mysids, cumaceans, amphipods, snails, small clams, isopods, small crabs and polychaete worms. Preyed upon by Atlantic cod, haddock, pollock, plaice and yellowtail flounder (Ref. 5951).

Zooplankton and large diatoms.

Winter spawner; gravid adults occurring November-February, post-larvae February-April (North Sea).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 5
Specimens with Barcodes: 5
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Not Evaluated

fisheries: of potential interest