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Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Pogonias cromis
Description: high arched
back; 10 to 14 pairs of chin barbels; gray or black colored body in
adults; young have 4 to 6 vertical bars; has cobblestone-like teeth
capable of crushing oysters; scales large.
Similar Fish: the vertical bars on juvenile black drum are somewhat similar to those on sheepshead,
Archosargus probatocephalus; spadefish,
Chaetodipterus faber; red drum,
Sciaenops ocellatus.
Where found: INSHORE fish common to bays and lagoons; bottom dweller often found around oyster beds; also OFFSHORE.
Size: common to 30 pounds.
*Florida Record: 93 lbs.
Remarks: largest
member of the drum family; spawns NEARSHORE in winter and early spring;
feeds on oysters, mussels, crabs, shrimp and occasionally fish;
longevity to 35 or more years.
* The Florida records
quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed
publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current
ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.
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