| Weakfish | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Sciaenidae |
| Genus: | Cynoscion |
| Species: | C. regalis
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| Binomial name | |
| Cynoscion regalis | |
Cynoscion regalis, the weakfish, squeteague, bastard trout, bastard weakfish, common weakfish, gray weakfish, chickwick, gray trout, gray sea trout, sand trout, silver weakfish or squit, is a marine ray-finned fish of the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers.
A medium-large, slender, marine fish, it is found along the east coast of North America. The head and back of this fish are dark brown in color with a greenish tinge. The sides have a faint silvery hue with dusky specks, and the belly is white. The origin of its name is based on the weakness of the mouth muscles, which often cause a hook to tear free, allowing the fish to escape. The weakfish grows to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length and 9 kg (20 lb) in weight. It is found along the eastern coast of North America from Nova Scotia, Canada to northern Florida, where it is fished both commercially and recreationally.
This species has become established in the Gulf of Cadiz in the eastern Atlantic. This introduced population was first noted in 2011 when a specimen misidentified as Cynoscion nebulosus was taken and there is now a well established population.[2]
The weakfish is the state fish of Delaware.
- ^ Barbieri, S. & Barbieri, L. (2020). "Cynoscion regalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T46104933A49226925. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T46104933A49226925.en. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ Rafael Bañón; Alberto Arias; Diego Arana; Jose A. Cuesta (2017). "Identification of a non-native Cynoscion species (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) from the Gulf of Cádiz (southwestern Spain) and data on its current status". Scientia Marina. 81 (1): 19–26. doi:10.3989/scimar.04494.21A. hdl:10261/147878.