Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
Description
This is an easy fish to identify, with its very broad body, boldly marked with 5 to 7 wide, grayish-black vertical bars set on a light gray or white background. Any confusion can be set aside by inspecting the teeth, which look a great deal like human (or sheep) incisors. The dorsal and anal fins have large, very sharp spines.
Size
Sheepshead are common from 2 to 8 pounds, but can reach 20 pounds.
Habitat
Sheepshead are found primarily in saline to near-fresh estuarine waters. They are very common near rock jetties, piers, pilings, and weirs. They are also found in nearshore waters outside the beaches during the spawning period of February to April.
Range
Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. They are absent in the Bahamas, West Indies, and Bermuda.