Archosargus probatocephalus

(Sheepshead)

Size

Maximum size 90cm (3 feet, usually1-2 feet)

Recognition Characters

Five or six somewhat slanted bars on side, beginning at pectoral fins and ending on the caudal peduncle; has incisors in the front and molars in the back of its mouth.

Color

White to yellowish silver; may sometimes have a light green shade

Habitat & Depth

Seen mostly around rocky outcroppings or around wrecks from 3-70 feet

Distribution at GRNMS

Common

Geographic Range

Nova Scotia to Brazil

Behavior & Notes

Eat sea urchins by flipping them over and bite from the bottom where there are no spines; also eats crustaceans and molluscs.

Synonyms

References