Latin name

Genyonemus lineatus

Other names

Kingfish, king-fish, king croaker, shiner, Pasadena trout, tommy croaker, little bass, shiroguchi

Identification

The body of the white croaker is elongated and compressed. The head is oblong and bluntly rounded, and the mouth is slightly below the head. A deep notch separates the two dorsal fins. The dorsal coloration is iridescent, from brown to yellowish, becoming silvery underneath. Faint wavy lines appear on the silvery areas. The fins are yellow to white. The white croaker is one of the five California croakers with a subterminal mouth.

Distribution

The white croaker is common from Magdalena Bay, Baja California, to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and is not abundant north of San Francisco.

Habitat

Preferring sandy bottoms, white croaker inhabit quiet surf zones, shallow bays, and lagoons. Most of the time they are found in offshore areas at depths of 10 to 100 feet. On rare occasions, they are abundant at depths as great as 600 feet.

Size

The average weight is 1 pound. It is believed the white croaker can live up to 15 years, although most live far fewer years.

Life history and Behavior

Spawning usually occurs from March to September, with a peak in late spring to early summer.

Food and feeding habits

The white croaker consumes a variety of fish, squid, shrimp, octopus, worms, small crabs, clams, and other live or dead objects.

Reproduction

Releases gametes into the water for fertilization, usually at night, to reduce attack on the eggs, which are the largest (0.5 inch diameter) of all humpbacks on the West Coast. Age of maturity has not been determined.