Species learning profile
Black drum
Pogonias cromis
Black drum (Pogonias cromis) is a brackish fish associated with estuary habitat in Atlantic. Large adults use throat teeth to crush oysters and produce resonant drum sounds.
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At a glance
- Eau
- Eau saumâtre
- Habitat
- Estuaire
- Longueur maximale
- 170 cm
- Répartition
- Atlantique
- Famille
- Sciaenidae
- Ordre
- Acanthuriformes
Observe
How to identify Black drum
- Large adults use throat teeth to crush oysters and produce resonant drum sounds.
- Guide context: estuary habitat in Atlantic.
- Reported maximum length: 170 cm — capable of growing longer than many people are tall. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with estuary habitat across Atlantic. Tides mix fresh and salt water here, and sheltered shallows often serve as productive nursery habitat.
Behavior
Searches soft bottoms with chin barbels
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Molluscs, crabs, and worms.
Ecological role
An important shellfish predator and sediment disturber.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Black drum peut atteindre environ 170 cm et vit souvent près de Estuaire.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Estuaries are vulnerable to shoreline loss, polluted runoff, dredging, and barriers between nursery and adult habitat.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Black drum in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections