Superkingdom Eukaryota
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Superclass Pisces
Class Osteichthyes
Subclass Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Superorder Acanthopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Sciaenidae
A family of 70 genera and 270 species of fish mostly called
"drum" or "croaker", many of which are important game, tropical, or food fish. Other important common names
for Sciaenidae include weakfish, kob, meagre, corvina, and spot.
Many croakers and drums are bottom feeders; they have a straight ventral
side and a high arched back. Other croakers feed slightly higher
and are more torpedo-shaped. All have a long dorsal fin along the
length of their back. The first spine of some species'
dorsal fins is etremely elongated, looking like kinfeblades stickung up
out of the fish's head.
As you might guess, croakers and drums derive their names from an odd
croaking or booming sound such a fish makes when it is pulled out of the
water. In the water, this is probably a form of echolocation.
Along with each genus in the list below is The number of species (if
more than one) and any special common name (if it is not "croaker").
Please be aware that I have a much larger list containing all species.
If you would lile to create a node about one of the genera, /msg me and
I will give you a list of species.
Tribes:
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Bahabini (Bahaba)
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Johniini (Johnius, Johnieops)
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Kathalini (Kathala)
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Macrospinosini (Macrospinosa)
-
Nibenini (Daysciaena, Dendrophysa, Nibea, Paranibea, Protonibea)
-
Otolithoidini (Otolithoides, Pama, Panna)
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Otolithini (Otolithes, Pennahia, Argyrosomus, Atrobucca, Chrysochir, Pterotolithus)
-
Sciaenini (Sciaenia, Umbrina)
Organized out of searches in
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2001.
FishBase.
World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, 17 February 2002