The jack-knifefish (''Equetus lanceolatus'') is a species of fish in the family

Sciaenidae 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 gen ...

, the drums and croakers. It is native to the 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 ...

, where its distribution extends along the eastern coasts of the Americas from the Carolinas in the United States to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, including the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

. Other common names include donkey fish and lance-shaped ribbonfish.

Description

This fish reaches about 25 centimeters in maximum length. The first dorsal fin is very tall. The body is gray in color with three brown or black bands. The first two bands are small and vertical, and the third extends from the tip of the tall dorsal fin down the body to the tip of the tail fin.Froese, R. and D. Pauly, Eds
''Equetus lanceolatus''.
FishBase. 2017.

Habitat

This marine fish is mostly found along coasts in waters up to 60 meters deep, especially in reef habitat.

Biology

This species feeds on small invertebrates, and sometimes detritus.

Uses

This species is sometimes kept in marine aquaria. It can be bred in captivity.

Conservation

This species is not considered to be threatened. The aquarium trade does not significantly impact populations, even though it is valuable and easy to collect from the wild. It has a wide distribution, and in many areas it is a common species.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1497325 Sciaenidae Fish described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Fish of the Dominican Republic Fish of the Atlantic Ocean