Typically, dorsal, ventral and anal fins are black or gray to dusky while pectoral and caudal fins are greenish tone. Young fishes have distinct coloration. Juveniles are brownish in color with median line along ventral surface. Additionally, there are three black spots: one beneath the pectoral fin base, one behind isthmus and one set anteriorally to anal fin.
Fillets-of-Sheepshead-fish
Pharyngeal-Teeth-of-Sheepshead-Fish
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Sheepshead-fish-2
Sheepshead-fish-reicpe
Sheepshead-fish-skeleton
Skull-of-Sheepshead-fish
Teeth-of-Sheepshead-fish
Dentition
Teeth are well-defined molars, incisors and grinders. Incisor like teeth is at front of the jaw. Molars are arranged in three rows in upper jaw and two rows in lower jaw. Heavy and strong teeth are required for crushing and grinding the shelled animals which are prey. It lack tooth patches on roof of the mouth.
Age, Size, Lifespan
Sheepshead fish measures 91 cm long and 9.6 kg (21.2 pounds) and recorded largest sheepshead weigh 66 kg (145.5 pounds). The maximum lifespan estimated is 20 years. The maximum age for male is estimated to be 13 years and maximum age for females is 16 years.
Reproduction
In Florida and Georgia, females mature at age 2. In Louisiana, they apparently mature at younger age where females mature over age 1 and males mature at age 2. The spawning occurs in late winter and early spring in South Atlantic, mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. In Georgia, spawning takes place in April. Generally, it is believed that sheepshead spawn in nearshore and offshore waters of continental shelf. They are fractional spawners. It is estimated that spawning frequency and ranges from once per day to once every 20 days. Females have the fecundity of 1,100 – 40,000 eggs in inshore waters and offshore have 14000 to 250000 eggs.
Trophic Mode
They are omnivores. Larval diet comprises of amphipods, copepods and other zooplankton. Juveniles under 50 mm long consumes gammarids, ostracods, copepods, mysids, brozoans and polychaete worms. After the reach 50 mm length, its diet shifts towards hard shelled organisms such as brachyurans, bivalve mollusks, barnacles and echinoderms. Primarily they feed on invertebrates and algae.
Habitats
Larvae are collected in surface waters over sandy bottoms in estuaries around seawalls or jetties, estuaries, nearshore waters and bays. Commonly juveniles are found in seagrasses and over muddy bottoms. By late summer when reaching late summer and leave nursery areas and congregate with adults around piers, stone jetties, breakwater and wrecks. They are not migratory but move to offshore spawning grounds having onset of cooler water temperatures in late fall and winter and return to nearshore waters and estuaries after spawning takes place in spring.
How to Eat
- It is consumed microwaved, broiled and baked.
- Sheepshead fish is also pan broiled, sautéed, frying, baking and grilling.
- Use it in soups and chowders.
Other Facts
- It has distinctive teeth that look similar to human teeth to crush armored and shelled prey and scrape barnacles from pilings and rocks.
- For its black and white striped coloration, it is called convict fish.
References:
https://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Archos_probat.htm
https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=169189#null
http://www.inlandseafood.com/seapedia/sheepshead
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/discover/species-profiles/archosargus-probatocephalus/
http://www.turrell-associates.com/media/docs/sheepshead-final.pdf
Comments
| Sheepshead fish Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Sheepshead fish |
| Scientific Name: | Archosargus probatocephalus |
| Origin | Native to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States |
| Colors | Gray or green-yellow |
| Shapes | Compressed, 91 cm (35.8 inches) in length |
| Flesh colors | White |
| Calories | 234 Kcal./cup |
| Major nutrients | Vitamin B-12 (178.33%) Selenium (173.45%) Isoleucine (133.37%) Lysine (132.92%) Tryptophan (122.95%) |
| Name | Sheepshead fish |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archosargus probatocephalus |
| Native | Native to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States |
| Common/English Name | Convictt fish, sargo, Sheephead, Sheepshead, Sheepshead seabream, Southern sheeps head |
| Name in Other Languages | Danish: Fårehovedhavrude; French: Rondeau mouton; German: Schafskopf; Mandarin Chinese: Nánfāng yáng diāo (南方羊鯛), Yáng diāo (羊鯛); Polish: Sparus owczarz; Portuguese: Sargento, sargo, Sargo-choupa, Sargo-de-dente, Sargo-do-mar, Sorgo; Russian: karas’-durak (карась-дурак), ryba-katorzhnik (рыба-каторжник), capryc, Kubinskiy morskoi karas’, karas’-du (карась-ду), karas’-durak (карась-дурак), ryba-kato (рыба-като), ryba-katorzhnik (рыба-каторжник); Spanish: sargo, Sargo chopa |
| Body shape & size | Compressed, 91 cm (35.8 inches) in length |
| Body color | Gray or green-yellow |
| Weight | 9.6 kg (21.2 pounds) |
| Flesh color | White |
| Flavor | Mild |
| Major Nutritions | Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamine) 4.28 µg (178.33%) Selenium, Se 95.4 µg (173.45%) Isoleucine 2.23 g (133.37%) Lysine 4.445 g (132.92%) Tryptophan 0.541 g (122.95%) Threonine 2.122 g (120.57%) Valine 2.492 g (117.99%) Histidine 1.425 g (115.67%) Leucine 3.934 g (106.44%) Protein 48.4 g (96.80%) |
| Calories in 1 fillet (186 g) | 234 Kcal. |
