''Cynoscion arenarius'' (sand seatrout, sand weakfish or, as it is also known, white trout) is a common species of

drum fish Sciaenidae are a family of fish in the order Acanthuriformes. They are commonly called drums or croakers in reference to the repetitive throbbing or drumming sounds they make. The family consists of about 286 to 298 species in about 66 to 70 gene ...

found in the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

and western

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. While not especially popular or targeted, it is still known as a sport fish and is often caught by anglers of these waters. Research in biochemistry suggests that the sand seatrout may actually be a subspecies of the

weakfish The weakfish, ''Cynoscion regalis'', is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae. 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 t ...

that lacks spots. Often confused with the

silver seatrout The silver seatrout (''Cynoscion nothus''), also known as white trout, sugar trout, and silver weakfish, is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae Sciaenidae are a family of fish in the order Acanthuriformes. They are commonly called drum ...

, the sand seatrout is larger and more often found inshore than its similar-appearing offshore cousin. It also has a slight yellow hue, whereas the silver seatrout is more silver overall. It averages at one pound and is reportedly a good fish for eating.Dunaway, Vic. ''Sport Fish of Florida.'' 1st Edition. Florida Sportsman, 2007.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3753042 Sciaenidae Taxa named by Isaac Ginsburg Fish described in 1930