Descriptions: Line 6
Atlantic Croaker ( Micropogonias undulatus)
The Atlantic croaker occurs from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Campeche, Mexico. They are benthic species, living in coastal waters, in the lower portions of freshwater rivers, and in Lake Pontchartrain. They have a rounded snout, two dorsal fins, an inferior mouth, and 3-5 pairs of barbels on the chin. Body coloration is grayish or silver on the upper portion of the body and white on the venter. They also have bronze colored, iridescent, oblique-shaped bars along the side of the body. They ingest marine worms, and as they reach adult sizes, they also eat large crustaceans and fishes.
Speckled Trout ( Cynoscion nebulosus)
The speckled trout or spotted seatrout is one of the most important sport fishes in Louisiana. It occurs from Massachusetts to Florida and from Florida through the Northern Gulf of Mexico, and southward into Texas and Mexico. It is common in Lake Pontchartrain. It possess two dorsal fins, a silvery body color with a pattern of black spots along the upper side that extend onto the dorsal and caudal fins, and a pair of canine teeth at the front of the upper jaw. It reaches a maximum size of 3 feet and more than 17 pounds. Scientific data suggests that speckled trout may live as long as 18 years. Speckled trout are most abundant in shallow inshore vegetated habitats.
Fat Sleeper ( Dormitator maculatus)
The fat sleeper occurs in coastal areas of the Atlantic basin from North Carolina to Brazil and throughout the Gulf of Mexico and in Lake Pontchartrain. It also traverses freshwater and can be found in the lower portions of coastal rivers and streams. Sleepers, members of the Family Eleotridae, appear similar to gobies. However, most species of sleepers are larger than gobies, and sleepers lack the fused pelvic fins characteristic of gobies. They are small in size, not reaching more than 10 inches in length, butmostare much smaller. The fat sleeper is brown or tan in color, often with vertical bars of lighter coloration along the side of the body, a feature most pronounced in juveniles. One of the distinguishing characteristics is a series of dark bars radiating out from the eye in a ventral and posterior direction. Little information is known regarding the fat sleeper's ecology and diet.
Clown Goby ( Microgobius gulosus)
The clown goby is an attractive species that lives in inshore water habitats of estuaries, but also in the lower reaches of coastal rivers and streams. They have a very large range in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Basins, occurring from the east coast of Florida to Vera Cruz, Mexico. They are small in size, not reaching lengths greater than 3 inches. The clown goby possesses a large head and mouth, canine-like teeth on the outer edge of the lower jaw, elongated dorsal spines (2-5) in the first dorsal fin, and fused pelvic fins. Body coloration is olive to tan, and there is a lateral band from the opercle to the base of the caudal fin terminating in a caudal spot.
Read descriptions of each fish in the poster.
