The spot croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus) or spot is a small saltwater fish species inhabiting estuary and coastal waters along the eastern coast of United States, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. The spot croaker derives its name from the prominent dark spot behind each gill. It is also known for its the croaking sound it produces using its swim bladder. It is part of the family Sciaendae and the only species in its the genus, Leiostomus. Spot croakers spawn offshore and the spawn migrate inland to develop into juveniles. They are frequently caught by recreational anglers and make excellent table fare. Their diets consist largely of organic detritus, small crustaceans, and worms. Bloodworms are the ideal bait when fishing for spot croaker. The community of Hampstead, North Carolina hosts the North Carolina Spot Festival the last weekend of September to honor the fish.
Read more about Spot Croaker: Naming and Taxonomy, Description, Range and Behavior, Management
Famous quotes containing the word spot:
“If a person lost would conclude that after all he is not lost, he is not beside himself, but standing in his own old shoes on the very spot where he is, and that for the time being he will live there; but the places that have known him, they are lost,—how much anxiety and danger would vanish.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)