Archosargus probatocephalus

For other uses, see Sheepshead (disambiguation).
Archosargus probatocephalus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Sparidae
Genus: Archosargus
Species: A. probatocephalus
Binomial name
Archosargus probatocephalus
(Walbaum, 1792)

Archosargus probatocephalus, the sheepshead, is a marine fish that grows to 30 in (760 mm), but commonly reaches 10 to 20 in. It is deep and compressed in body shape, with five or six dark bars on the side of the body over a gray background. It has sharp dorsal spines. Its diet consists of oysters, clams, and other bivalves, and barnacles, fiddler crabs, and other crustaceans.[1] It has a hard mouth, with several rows of stubby teeth, which help crush the shells of prey.[2]

Range

The sheepshead is found in coastal waters along the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Brazil, but the greatest concentration is around southwest Florida.[3] Although the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, in New York City, was named after the fish,[4] it is now rarely found that far north.

Fishing

As sheepshead feed on bivalves and crustaceans,[1] successful baits include shrimp, sand fleas (mole crabs), clams, fiddler crabs, and mussels.[5] Sheepshead have a knack for stealing bait, so a small hook is necessary.[5] Locating sheepshead with a boat is not difficult: Fishermen look for rocky bottoms or places with obstructions, jetties, and the pilings of bridges and piers.[5] The average weight of a sheepshead is 3 to 4 lb, but some individuals reach the range of 10 to 15 lb.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)". Tpwd.state.tx.us. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  2. ↑ "No Braces Necessary for the Sheepshead Fish With Human-like Teeth". thefeaturedcreature.com.
  3. ↑ "Florida Museum of Natural History".
  4. ↑ "The Naming of Sheepshead Bay". Brooklyn Based. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gillis, Chad (March 6, 2008). "Fishing 101: Sheepshead Porgy". naplesnews.com.

External links

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