Archosargus probatocephalus

Archosargus probatocephalus, the sheepshead, sheepshead seabream or convict fish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean. The sheepshead is an important species to recreational and commercial fisheries.

Taxonomy

Archosargus probatocephalus was first formally described as Sparus probatocephalus by the German physician, naturalist and taxonomist Johann Julius Walbaum with no type locality given, although it is thought to be New York. The genus Archosargus is placed in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of Fishes of the World. Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Sparinae, but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae.

Description

Archosargus probatocephalus has an oval shaped, deep, laterally compressed body with a small blunt head, the dorsal and ventral profiles of the head being convex. It has moderately sized eyes, a small horizontal mouth and the preorbital bone overlaps the rear of the maxilla. The teeth at the front of the jaw are broad and flattened, the upper jaw has three rows of molar-like teeth at the sides. The margin of the preoperculum is smooth, with no serrations or spines. The dorsal fin is long and not high and is supported by 12 spines, the front spine points towards the front and may be embedded, and 11 soft rays. The anal fin contains three spines, the second spine being very robust, and 9 or 10 soft rays. The pectoral fin is long, clearly greater in length than the pelvic fins, extending to the level of the middle spine of the anal fin. The caudal fin is forked. The adults are silvery to greenish-yellow with olive on the upper body. Along the flanks there are five or six dark vertical bars, which fade with age. The caudal and pectoral fins are greenish in colour while the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins are dark. The sheepshead reaches a maximum published total length of , although is more typical.

Distribution and habitat

Archosargus probatocephalus is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean where it ranges from Nova Scotia to Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. so successful baits include shrimp, sand fleas (mole crabs), clams, fiddler crabs, and mussels. Sheepshead have a habit of stealing bait, so a small hook is necessary.

Parasites

As with other fish, the sheepshead has a variety of parasites. One of them is the monogenean Microcotyle archosargi, which is parasitic on its gills.

Sheepshead Bay

Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn was so named after the sheepshead found in its waters.

References

External links

Archosargus probatocephalus Smithsonian Marine Station
Sheedshead Information Florida Shore Fishing Page