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Big head croaker (Collichthys lucidus) — Sciaenidae

Big head croaker

Collichthys lucidus
Family: Sciaenidae
LC · Least Concern

The Big head croaker (Collichthys lucidus) is a saltwater fish of the family Sciaenidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
19.8 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–90.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The big head croaker is a croaker from the northwest Pacific, off China and Korea. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a stocky, golden-sheened body with a strikingly large, hollow head. Like other croakers it can produce drumming sounds with its swim bladder. It lives in shallow coastal and estuarine water and hunts small crustaceans and fish. It is a local food fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Big head croaker?

The Big head croaker has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Big head croaker live?

The Big head croaker lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Big head croaker get?

The Big head croaker grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Big head croaker dangerous to humans?

No, the Big head croaker is harmless to humans.

Is the Big head croaker edible?

Yes, the Big head croaker is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Grootkop-ombervis verified
English name
Big head croaker verified
Scientific name
Collichthys lucidus
Family
Sciaenidae
Other names
Lionhead verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
19.8 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Max depth (m)
90.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Netvisserij sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Sciaenidae

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