Atlantic Croaker
Micropogonias undulatus · Fish, Vertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Sciaenidae, order Perciformes, class Actinopterygii
Animal Category
Marine/Freshwater Animal
Breed / Variety
Standard Atlantic Croaker species
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with stable populations, though locally affected by overfishing and habitat degradation in estuaries.
About This Creature
Small to medium-sized fish typically ranging from 30 to 50 cm in length and weighing up to 2-3 pounds. Silvery body with brassy or greenish reflections above and white below, featuring distinct dark, wavy, oblique bars or spots along the upper sides.
Physical Characteristics
Deep, compressed body, arched back, small inferior mouth, chin with several small barbels, and distinctive rough scales. The lateral line extends onto the caudal fin. Dorsal fin is deeply notched between the spiny and soft portions.
Behavior & Temperament
Social fish that often forms schools over muddy or sandy bottoms. Active mostly during twilight and night. Known for producing a characteristic croaking or drumming sound using specialized muscles vibrating against the swim bladder, especially when stressed or during spawning.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, from the Gulf of Maine down to Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat
Estuaries, coastal bays, shallow marine waters, and tidal rivers; Aquatic and demersal (bottom-dwelling).
Diet & Nutrition
Carnivorous and bottom-feeder, consuming worms, small crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish by foraging in soft sediments.
Lifespan & Health
Typically lives 3 to 5 years in the wild. Subject to predation by larger marine fish, birds, and marine mammals. Reproduces via external fertilization with pelagic eggs and larvae drifting into nursery estuaries.
Special Characteristics
Capable of producing audible croaking sounds using drumming muscles attached to the swim bladder. Important commercial and recreational game fish.
Ecological Information
Serves as a mid-level consumer and forage fish in estuarine and marine food webs, transferring energy from benthic invertebrates to larger predatory fish, birds, and mammals.