Scienops ocellata is the red-drum or channel bass of our
South Atlantic coast, a most important food-fish reaching a
weight of seventy-five pounds. It is well marked by a black
ocellus on the base of the tail. On the coast of Texas, this
species, locally called redfish, exceeds in economic value all other
species found in that State.
Pseudosciena aquila, the maigre of southern Europe, is


570 Surmullets, Croakers, etc.
another large fish, similar in value to the red drum. Pseudo-
sctena antarctica is the kingfish of Australia. To Sciena belong
many species, largely Asiatic, with the mouth inferior, without
barbels, the teeth small, and the convex snout marked with
mucous pores. Scienu umbra, the ombre, is the common
European species, Sciena saturna, the black roncador of Cali-
fornia, is much likeit. Sciena delictosa is one of the most valued


Fic. 462.—Red Drum, Scienops ocellata Linneus. Texas.
food-fishes of Peru, and Sciena argentata is valued in Japan.
Species of Sct@na are especially numerous on the coasts of India.
Roneador stearnsi, the California roncador, is a large fish with a
black ocellus at the base of the pectoral. It has some importance
in the Los Angeles market. The goody, spot, or lafayette (Leio-
stomus xanthurus) is a small, finely flavored species abundant
from Cape Cod to Texas. Similar to it but inferior is the little
roncador (Genyonemus lineatus) of California. The common
croaker, Micropogon undulatus, is very abundant on our Eastern
coast, and other species known as verrugatos or white-mouthed
drummers replace it farther South.
In Umbrina the chin has a short thick barbel. The species
abound in the tropics, Umbrina cirrosa in the Mediterranean;
Umbrina coroides in California, and the handsome Umbrina
roncador, the yellow-tailed roncador, in southern California.
