Archosargus probatocephalus
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A. probatocephalus
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| Archosargus probatocephalus (Walbaum, 1792)
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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]
Fishing
Although the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, in New York City, was named after the fish,[3] it is almost entirely a southern species: its range extends from the mid-Atlantic to Texas.[1] As sheepshead feed on bivalves and crustaceans,[1] successful baits include shrimp, sand fleas (mole crabs), clams, fiddler crabs, and mussels.[4] Sheepshead have a knack for stealing bait, so a small hook is necessary.[4] 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.[4] The average weight of a sheepshead is 3 to 4 lb, but some individuals reach the range of 10 to 15 lb.[4]
References
External links
- Archosargus probatocephalus Smithsonian Marine Station
- Sheedshead Information Florida Shore Fishing Page
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- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Archosargus probatocephalus" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
