Fish at Gateway National Recreation Area

The American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is a facultative catadromous fish found on the eastern coast of North America. Eels (Anguilla spp.) are fish belonging to the elopomorph superorder, a group of phylogenetically ancient teleosts. The American eel has a slender snakelike body that is covered with a mucous layer, which makes the eel appear to be naked and slimy despite the presence of minute scales. A long dorsal fin runs from the middle of the back... less ↑

The American Conger, Conger oceanicus, is a species of eel in the Congridae family. Widespread in the Western Atlantic from the Cape Cod in Massachusetts to northeastern Florida in USA and northern Gulf of Mexico. Also reported from near the mid-Atlantic island of St. Helena and the coasts of Canada. It is a dark gray-green, with tiny rusty-red speckles. It is about 6.5 feet (2.0 m) long and weighs about 89 pounds (40 kg). The eel can be... less ↑

The inshore lizardfish, Synodus foetens, inhabits the east coast of the Americas. They are a slender fish, growing to no more than 16 inches in length. The mouth is large and wide, the upper jaw extending beyond the eyes. The jaws contain many needle-like teeth, found as well as on the tongue and roof of the mouth. The snout is pointed. The dorsal body color is various shades of brown to olive, while the ventral color is... less ↑

The blueback shad or blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Alosa. These fish are silvery in color, have a series of scutes (modified, spiny and keeled scales) along their bellies, and are characterized by deep bluish-green backs. The most distinguishing characteristic of this species is the black to dusky in color of its peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity). Blueback shad and alewives are difficult to distinguish from... less ↑

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is a herring in the family Clupeidae. It is one of the most abundant fish species in the world. Atlantic herrings can be found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, congregating in large schools. They can grow up to 45 centimetres (18 in) in length and weigh more than 0.5 kilograms (1.1 lb). They feed on copepods, krill and small fish, while their natural predators are seals, whales, cod and other larger fish. less ↑

The banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus), is a North American species of temperate freshwater killifish belonging to the Fundulus genus of the Fundulidae family. The natural geographic range extends from Newfoundland to South Carolina, and west to Minnesota. It occupies the Great Lakes drainages. The banded killifish is the only freshwater killifish found in the Northeastern United States, but can occasionally be found in brackish water. less ↑

The mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus, is a small killifish found in the eastern United States. Also known as mummies, gudgeons, and mud minnows, these fish are found in brackish and coastal waters including estuaries and salt marshes along the eastern seaboard of the United States as well as the Atlantic coast of Canada. It is noted for its hardiness and ability to tolerate highly variable salinity, temperature fluctuations from 6 °C to 35 °C (43 °F to 95 °F), and for... less ↑

The spotfin killifish (Fundulus luciae) is a member of the genus Fundulus. It closely resembles the mummichog in shape and coloration, but the two species can be distinguished by dorsal ray count; 8 in the spotfin, 11 or 12 in the mummichog. The dorsal fin of the spotfin originates farther back, over or slightly behind the anal and about equidistant between the top of the tail and the anterior half of the eye. In the mummichog,... less ↑

The three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, is a fish native to most inland coastal waters north of 30°N. It has long been a subject of scientific study for many reasons. It shows great morphological variation throughout its range, ideal for questions about evolution and population genetics. Most populations are anadromous (they live in seawater but breed in freshwater or brackish water) and very tolerant of changes in salinity, a subject of interest to physiologists. It displays elaborate... less ↑

The lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus), northern seahorse or spotted seahorse is a species of fish that belongs to the Syngnathidae family.H. erectus is a diurnal species with an approximate length of 15 centimeters (6 inches) and lifespan of one to four years. The H. erectus species can be found with a myriad of colors, from greys and blacks to reds, greens, and oranges. The lined seahorse lives in the Atlantic Ocean as far north as Canada... less ↑

Silver mullet and white mullet refer to the species, Mugil curema. Silver mullet is also a common name for fantail mullet (Mugil gyrans). Owing to their small size, less than 12 inches, Silver mullet are primarily used for bait. In some parts of Florida and southern Alabama, Silver mullet are occasionally eaten in the place of the much larger Striped Mullet (Mugil Cephalus). Adult Silver and Striped mullet consume the mud found on the bottom of estuarine... less ↑

Ammodytes americanus, also known as American sand lance, American sand eel, and sand launce, is a small fish in the family Ammodytidae. First described by James Ellsworth De Kay in 1842, it is widespread in the western North Atlantic. Like all sand lances, it has a long, thin body with a pointed snout; mature fish typically range from 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) in length, though some may reach 7 in (18 cm). Its back is greenish-brown,... less ↑

The African pompano, Alectis ciliaris, (also known as the pennant-fish and threadfin trevally) is a widely distributed species of tropical marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The species is found in tropical waters worldwide, with adults often inhabiting coastlines, while juveniles are usually pelagic, floating with ocean currents. The adult African pompano is similar in appearance to the other members of the genus Alectis, with the concave shape of the head near the eyes the... less ↑

The yellow jack, Carangoides bartholomaei (also known as coolihoo), is a species of offshore marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. It is one of only two representatives of its genus present in the Atlantic Ocean, inhabiting waters off the east coast of the Americas from Massachusetts in the north to Brazil in the south, as well as a number of offshore islands. The yellow jack can be distinguished from closely related species the length of... less ↑

The crevalle jack, Caranx hippos (also known as the common jack, black-tailed trevally, couvalli jack, black cavalli and yellow cavalli) is a common species of large marine fish classified within the jack family, Carangidae. The crevalle jack is distributed across the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Nova Scotia, Canada to Uruguay in the west Atlantic and Portugal to Angola in the east Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea. It is distinguishable from... less ↑

The golden trevally, Gnathanodon speciosus (also known as the golden kingfish, banded trevally and king trevally), is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae, and the only member of the genus Gnathanodon. The golden trevally is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, ranging from South Africa in the west to Central America in the east, extending to Japan in the... less ↑

The permit, Trachinotus falcatus, is a game fish of the western Atlantic Ocean belonging to the Carangidae family. Adults feed on crabs, shrimp, and smaller fish. Two submarines of the United States Navy were named USS Permit in its honor, in keeping with the "denizens of the deep" theme of submarine names that prevailed before the 1971 naming of USS Los Angeles. less ↑

Clevelandia ios, the Arrow goby, is a species of goby native to marine and brackish waters of the Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja California. This species grows to a length of 6.4 centimetres (2.5 in) SL though most do not exceed 4.2 centimetres (1.7 in) TL. This fish can also be found displayed in public aquaria. This species is the only known member of its genus. less ↑

The bergall, alxo known as the cunner, conner or chogset, Tautogolabrus adspersus, is a species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic, where it is found from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland to the Chesapeake Bay. They inhabit inshore waters living near the sea floor at depths from 10 to 128 m (33 to 420 ft), preferring areas with beds of seaweed, shipwrecks, or wharf pilings. They spend the winter months in a state of torpor underneath rocks. They can... less ↑

The bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) is the only extant species of the family Pomatomidae. It is a marine pelagic fish found around the world in temperate and subtropical waters, except for the northern Pacific Ocean. Bluefish are known as tailor in Australia,shad on the east coast of South Africa, elf on the west coast. Other common names are blue, chopper, and anchoa. It is good eating and a popular gamefish. less ↑

The spot croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus) or spot is a small saltwater fish species inhabiting estuary and coastal waters along the eastern coast of United States, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. The spot croaker derives its name from the prominent dark spot behind each gill. It is also known for its the croaking sound it produces using its swim bladder. It is part of the family Sciaendae and the only species in its the genus, Leiostomus.... less ↑

Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) belongs to the family Sciaenidae and is closely related to black drum (Pogonias cromis), silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), spot croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus), red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), and weakfish (Cynoscion regalis). They are commonly found in sounds and estuaries from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico. The names croaker and drum are descriptive of the noise the fish makes by vibrating strong muscles against its swim bladder, which acts... less ↑

The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), also known as channel bass, redfish, spottail bass or simply reds, is a game fish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Northern Mexico. It is the only species in the genus Sciaenops. The red drum is a cousin to the black drum (Pogonias cromis), and the two species are often found in close proximity to each other;... less ↑

The sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, is a marine fish that grows to 30 in (760 mm), but commonly reaches 10 to 20 in. It is deep and compressed in body shape, with 5 to 6 dark bars on the side of the body over a gray background. It has sharp dorsal spines. Its diet consists of oysters, clams, and other bivalves, and barnacles, fiddler crabs, and other crustaceans. It has a hard mouth, with several rows of stubby... less ↑

The Hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus) is a small flatfish found along the coast of parts of North America. They prefer brackish water, and are abundant in many bays and estuaries north of the Carolinas (another similar species replaces it south of the Carolinas). It is a member of the American Sole family achiridae. They are usually brown to dark brown in color, and lighter on their "blind side" (side lacking an eye). The overall body color is... less ↑

The winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, (also known as black back) is a right-eyed ("dextral") flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. It is native to coastal waters of the western north Atlantic coast, from Labrador, Canada to Georgia, United States. In the waters from Newfoundland down through Massachusetts Bay it is the most common near-shore (shallow-water) flounder. It grows up to 64 cm in length and 3.6 kg in weight. less ↑

The striped searobin (Prionotus evolans) is a fish belonging to the genus Prionotus. It was first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1766. It resembles the northern searobin, but differs in having a larger head, larger mouth, and longer pectoral fins. In the species, the pectoral fins reach near the rear third of the second dorsal fin. The tail is more square in the striped searobin, and the free pectoral rays taper toward their tips. These filaments less ↑