Category: Croaker

Shortfin Corvina

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Cynoscion parvipinnis (Ayres, 1861); from the Greek words kyon (dog) and skion (from sciaena, an old name for a European croaker) and the Latin words parvi (small) and pinnis (fins). Alternate Names: Bigtooth corvina, shortfin seabass, sea trout, weakfish, caravina and…

White Seabass

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Atractoscion nobilis (Ayres, 1860) from the Greek words atrax (spindle) and skion (from sciaena, an old name for a European croaker) and the Latin word nobilis (noble). Known as Cynoscion nobilis until the 1990s. White seabass taken at the Ventura Pier…

Black Croaker

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Cheilotrema saturnum (Girard, 1858); from the Greek word cheilotrema (lip pores) and the Latin word saturnum (dusky color). Alternate Names: China croaker, Chinese croaker, Chinafin croaker and red roncador. Early names included black perch and black bass. Given the references to…

Queenfish

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Seriphus politus (Ayres, 1860); from the Greek word seriph (a kind of locust, an island near Greece, or a kind of wormwood—take your pick. Evidently, the scientist who gave the fish its scientific name, a Dr. Ayres, never specified why he…

White Croaker

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Genyonemus lineatus (Ayres, 1855); from the Greek words genys (lower jaw) and nema (barbel) and the Latin word lineatus (striped). Alternate Names: Tomcod (southern California), roncador (Ventura and Santa Barbara area), kingfish (central and northern California), sewer trout, tommy croaker, tommy and…

Yellowfin Croaker

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Umbrina roncador (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882); from the Greek word umbra (shade, referring to its darkened, shady sides) and the Spanish word roncador (a snorer, or to snore). It is, afterall, a croaker. Alternate Names: Surf fish, golden croaker, Catalina croaker,…

Spotfin Croaker

Spotfin croaker caught by Angel Hernandez at the Crystal Pier in San Diego Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Roncador stearnsii (Steindachner, 1876); from the Spanish word roncador (in reference to a snorer) and stearnsii (referring to Robert E. C. Stearns, a 19th Century sea shell expert…

California Corbina

Species: Menticirrhus undulates (Girard, 1854); from the Latin words menticirrhus (chin barbel) and undulatus (waved, referring to the wavy lines on its sides). Alternate Names: Whiting or California whiting, king croaker, corbie, corvina, bagre and the favorites of many—bean and beanie. In Mexico called berrugata…