Freshwater drum

Freshwater drum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Sciaenidae
Genus: Aplodinotus
Rafinesque, 1819
Species:
A. grunniens
Binomial name
Aplodinotus grunniens
Synonyms[2]
  • Sciaena oscula Lesueur, 1822
  • Sciaena grisea Lesueur, 1822
  • Corvina richardsonii Cuvier, 1830

The freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, is a fish endemic to North and Central America. It is the only species in the genus Aplodinotus,[3] and is a member of the family Sciaenidae. It is the only North American member of the group that inhabits freshwater for its entire life.[4] Its generic name, Aplodinotus, comes from Greek meaning "single back", and the specific epithet, grunniens, comes from a Latin word meaning "grunting".[5] It is given to it because of the grunting noise that mature males make. This noise comes from a special set of muscles within the body cavity that vibrate against the swim bladder. The purpose of the grunting is unknown, but due to it being present in only mature males and during the spawning season, it is assumed to be linked to spawning.[4][6]

The freshwater drum is also called Russell fish, shepherd's pie, gray bass,[7] Gasper goo, Gaspergou,[8] gou,[8] grunt, grunter,[7] grinder, gooble gobble, and croaker. It is commonly known as sheephead and sunfish in parts of Canada,[9] and the United States.[7][8][10][11]

  1. ^ NatureServe (2019). "Aplodinotus grunniens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T193261A129639199. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T193261A129639199.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Aplodinotus grunniens". FishBase. February 2023 version.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Aplodinotus". FishBase.
  4. ^ a b Fish of the Great Lakes: Wisconsin Sea Grant. Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens. Wisconsin Sea Grant 2002.http://seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/drum.html.
  5. ^ Texas Parks and Wildlife. Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens). Texas Parks and Wildlife 2011. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/fwd/
  6. ^ Schneider, H., Hasler, A. D.: Laute und Lauterzeugung beim Süßwassertrommler Aplodinotus grunniens Rafinesque (Sciaenidae, Pisces). In: Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie. Volume 43, 1960, pp. 499–517.
  7. ^ a b c Life History Notes: Freshwater Drum Archived 2007-06-21 at the Wayback Machine Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.
  8. ^ a b c Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens). Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.
  9. ^ "Common Names of Aplodinotus grunniens". Fishbase. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
  10. ^ Freshwater Drum: Nature Snapshots from Minnesota DNR. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Nature Snapshots. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.
  11. ^ Fishes of North Dakota: Drum Family. United States Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.