Fish
Southern Kingfish
Menticirrhus americanusAlso known as Southern Kingcroaker, King Whiting, Carolina Whiting, Sea Mullet
Southern kingfish cruise sandy ocean bottoms and estuaries, using a single fleshy chin barbel to detect hidden invertebrates buried in the sediment. Lacking a swim bladder, these bottom dwellers hug the seafloor where they feed heavily on shrimp, crabs, and marine worms. They migrate into deeper offshore waters during colder winter months before returning to shallow surf zones each spring.
CoastalBottom-FeederMarine
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyShrimp, Crabs, Marine Worms
Predators
- Sharks
- Large Seabass
- Dolphins
ThreatsHabitat degradation, coastal pollution, bycatch
HabitatsCoastal waters, estuaries, surf zones, muddy or sandy bottoms
Life span4–6 years
Classification
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilySciaenidae
- GenusMenticirrhus
- SpeciesMenticirrhus americanus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Surf Spotting: Search for them near breaking waves over sandy coastal bottoms.
- Handling Safety: Use care around sharp fin rays when handling caught fish.
- Key Identification: Look for a single barb under the chin and faint oblique stripes.
Close Relative (c) Zakqary Roy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Quinn, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Quinn · cc-by
Close Relative (c) NOAA Photo Library, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Member (c) Quinn, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Quinn · cc-by
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