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The common snook (Centropomus
undecimalis) is a
 species
of marine fish in the family Centropomidae of the order Perciformes.
This species is native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic
Ocean and Caribbean Sea, from southern Florida and Texas[1] to Rio
de Janeiro in Brazil. The oo can be pronounced as in either room or
good.
One of the largest snooks, C. undecimalis grows to a maximum overall
length of 140 centimetres (4.6 ft) and a maximum recorded weight of
24 kilograms (53 lb; 3.8 st). Of typical centropomid form, it
possesses unremarkable coloration except for a distinctive black
lateral line. It can also possess bright yellow pelvic and caudal
fins, especially during spawn.
Occurring in shallow coastal waters (up to 20 metres (66 ft) depth),
estuaries, and lagoons, the fish often enters fresh water. It is
carnivorous, with a diet dominated by smaller fishes, and
crustaceans such as shrimps, and occasionally crabs. Snooks are
actually one of the only fish to changes sexes during their
lifespan. They turn male-to-female when they are from about 26 to 28
inches (66 to 71 cm) in length.
Considered an excellent food fish, the common snook is fished
commercially and raised in aquaculture although it is not available
for sale in the United States. It is also prized as a game fish,
being known for their great fighting capabilities.
Three United States Navy submarines have been named for this
species, USS Robalo (SS-273) and USS Snook (SS-279) in the Second
World War and USS Snook (SSN-592) in the 1950s.
The common snook is also known as the sergeant fish or róbalo. It
was originally assigned to the sciaenid genus Sciaena; Sciaena
undecimradiatus and Centropomus undecimradiatus are obsolete
synonyms for the species.
Information courtesy of
Wikipedia
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