Atlantic croaker

Micropogonias undulatus

Saltwater
Least concern

Max length21.75 in

Common length11.75 in

Length typeTotal Length

Max weight5 lb 12 oz

Max Depth328 ft

Max age5 years

Water typeSaltwater

Water temperature

PH range

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Fish info

Common names

Hardhead, Pinhead, Golden croaker

IUCN Vulnerability status

Least concern

Short description

Atlantic croaker are silvery fish with a faint pinkish bronze cast. Their back and upper sides are greyish with brassy or brown spots that form oblique wavy lines on the fish's sides. The body is moderately flat and elongated. The dorsal fins are continuous with a deep notch between the spiny and soft portions. They have a long head with conical snout projecting beyond their downward-positioned mouth. They have a slightly pointed tail and small barbels on the lower jaw. The name croaker is descriptive of the noise the fish makes by vibrating strong muscles against its swim bladder, which acts as a resonating chamber much like a ball.

Habitat

They are usually found in bays and estuaries over sandy or muddy bottoms.

Distribution

The atlantic croaker is native to coastal waters in the western Atlantic Ocean. Its range extends from Massachusetts to Mexico and includes the northern half of the Caribbean Sea, but possibly not the southern Gulf of Mexico or the Antilles. It is also thought to live on the coasts of southern Brazil and Argentina.

Behaviour

Become bronze or yellow in colour during spawning. Spawning occurs offshore in the fall. They are bottom feeders. Croakers prey upon bristle worms, mollusks, crustaceans and small fish. All drums are able to make a loud drumming or croaking sound by vibrating their swim bladder using special muscles, but atlantic croakers are the loudest of the drums.

Edibility

Atlantic croakers are bony fish. Because of their small size, they are most often cooked whole. The meat has delicate flakes and a moderate, briny flavour.