Sciaena (Artedi) Linnaeus, 1758
Medium to large fish, body rather short and deep, dorsal profile strongly arched; mouth small, inferior; snout with 5 upper and 5 marginal pores, chin without barbel, but with 5 conspicuous mental pores, one median and two lateral pairs; teeth villiform, set in broad bands on jaws, outer row on premaxilla slightly enlarged. Gillrakers short and widely spaced. Anterior portion (spinous) of dorsal fin high, its tip reaching to third soft ray when depressed; pelvic, anal and lower edge of caudal fins jet black; caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate in adults. Swimbladder well developed, in simple carrot shape without appendages. Otolith (sagitta) large, oval.
Species I - Sciaena umbra as restricted by Trewavas (1966). Several so-called species of Sciaena from the tropical eastern Pacific and Atlantic coasts of America need further study and probably new generic names.
Recent revisions: Trewavas (1966), Chao and Miller (1975).
Species of this genus in the program:
Sciaena umbra