Southern kingfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern kingfish |
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The southern kingfish is a type of fish that lives in the ocean. It's also called the southern kingcroaker or king whiting. This fish belongs to a group of fish known as the Sciaenidae family. You can find it in the shallow waters along the western side of the Atlantic Ocean.
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What Does the Southern Kingfish Look Like?
The southern kingcroaker is a slender fish. It can grow up to about 50 centimeters (20 inches) long. However, most adult fish are usually around 30 centimeters (12 inches) long.
Body Shape and Features
This fish has a body that is deepest about two-fifths of the way along. Its upper jaw sticks out further than its lower jaw. The snout, which is the front part of its head, hangs over its mouth. It has a small, fleshy barbel on its lower lip. A barbel is a whisker-like part that helps the fish feel and taste.
Fins and Color
The southern kingfish has a dorsal fin that is split into two parts. The front part is shaped like a triangle and has 10 stiff spines. The back part is longer and has 1 spine and 22 to 25 soft rays. Its pectoral fins are large and pointed. The anal fin has 1 spine and 7 or 8 soft rays.
The tail fin is special. Its upper part is slightly curved inward, and its lower part is rounded. The fish is usually silvery-grey, sometimes with a shiny copper color. Its belly is a lighter grey. You might also see a few wide, dark stripes slanting across its back.
Where Do Southern Kingfish Live?
The southern kingcroaker is a fish that lives in warm, shallow ocean waters. It is a demersal fish, meaning it lives near the seabed. You can find it in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Geographic Range
Its home range is not continuous. It stretches from New York down to Texas in the north. Then, it picks up again from Yucatán in Mexico down to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is not found in southern Florida or the West Indies.
Preferred Habitat
These fish like places where the ocean floor is made of sand or mud. They are often found on sandy beaches. Young southern kingfish can live in water that is not very salty. Because of this, you can often find them in estuaries, which are areas where rivers meet the sea.
Southern Kingfish Life and Diet
The southern kingcroaker eats small animals that live on the ocean floor. These are called benthic invertebrates.
What They Eat
Their main food includes small crustaceans like shrimps and crabs. They also eat amphipods, which are tiny shrimp-like creatures. Polychaete worms and molluscs (like small snails or clams) are also part of their diet. Sometimes, they eat small fish. They even clean up the seabed by eating detritus (dead plant and animal bits) and carrion (dead animals).
Reproduction
Southern kingfish lay their eggs, a process called spawning, from June to November. This usually happens in the area around Delaware Bay.
How People Use Southern Kingfish
People catch southern kingcroakers for both commercial fishing and for fun. Many people enjoy fishing for them from beaches.
