Lonchurus lanceolatus (Bloch, 1788)
Longtail croaker
photo by FAO

Family:  Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Max. size:  30 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Colombia to the Amazon delta in Brazil including the Windward islands.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 37-39; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Body often brownish to yellowish, slightly darker above. All fins darkish, pectoral fins long and jet black. Base of pelvic and anal fins yellowish. Inside of gill cover dusky. Mouth large, but inferior, nearly horizontal. Chin with a pair of moderately long, slender barbels (longer than eye diameter). Pectoral fins very long, upper rays filamentous, extending to caudal peduncle. Pelvic fins with first soft ray filamentous, extending beyond anus. Gas bladder reduced in size, much shorter than head length; bearing anteriorly 1 pair of appendages, the first short and horn-like, the second long, tube-like, and directed backward (Ref 51721).
Biology:  Found usually over sandy to muddy bottoms in coastal marine and brackish waters. Important food fish.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 October 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.