Spotfin croaker

:"Roncador redirects here. For other uses, see Roncador (disambiguation).

Taxobox
name = Spotfin croaker

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image_width = 250px
image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Perciformes
familia = Sciaenidae
genus = "Roncador"
genus_authority = Jordan & Gilbert, 1880
species = "R. stearnsii"
binomial = "Roncador stearnsii"
binomial_authority = (Steindachner, 1876)

Spotfin croaker ("Roncador stearnsii") is a species of croaker occurring from Mazatlan, Mexico, to Point Conception, California, including the Gulf of California. It is the only species in the genus "Roncador". In California, they are most commonly found south of Los Angeles Harbor. They live along beaches and in bays over bottoms varying from coarse sand to heavy mud and at depths varying from 4 to 50 feet or more. They prefer depressions and holes near shore.

Description

The body of the spotfin croaker is elongate, but heavy forward. The upper profile of the head is steep and slightly curved, and abruptly rounded at the very blunt snout. The mouth is underneath the head (subterminal). The color is silvery gray with bluish luster above and white below. There are dark wavy lines on the side, and a large black spot at the base of the pectoral fin. The subterminal mouth, absence of a fleshy barbel and the large black spot at the base of the pectoral fin distinguish spotfin croakers from all other California croakers. Small "spotties" are sometimes confused with small white croakers, but a count of the dorsal fin spines will quickly separate them; the spotfin croaker has 11 or fewer (usually 10), while the white croaker as 12 to 15. So-called "golden croakers" are nothing more than large male spotfin croakers in breeding colors.

Spotfin croakers eat a wide variety of food items. Apparently they prefer clams and worms. Small crustaceans are also eaten extensively. They use the large pavement-like pharyngeal (throat) teeth to crush their food. Male spotfin croakers first mature and spawn when 2 years old and about 9 inches long. Most females mature when 3 years old and 12.5 inches long. All are mature by the time they are 4 years old and have reached a size of 14.5 inches. The spawning season runs from June to September and apparently takes place offshore, since no ripe fish have been caught in the surf zone. One inch juveniles do appear in the surf in the fall. Spotfin croaker travel considerably, but with no definite pattern. They move extensively from bay to bay. For example, fish tagged in the Los Angeles Harbor were later taken as far south as Oceanside. Spotfin tagged in Newport Bay moved to Alamitos Bay and vice versa.

Fishing information

Although some are caught throughout the year, late summer is best for spotfin croaker fishing. Good fishing seems to depend on runs. When a "croaker hole" is found and a run is on, good fishing can be had by all present whether in a bay, from a pier or in the surf. Most spotfin croaker caught are small to medium sized fish. The largest recorded specimen was 27 inches, 10.5 pounds.

References

*Much of this article is copied from [http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mspcont3.html#spotfin California Marine Sportfish] by the California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Region; a public domain resource. [http://www.dfg.ca.gov/html/conditions.html#ownership]
*FishBase species|genus=Roncador|species=stearnsii|year=2006|month=5