ok, what is it?

[oceanbound]

July 3ed, in Panama City Beach at 11:40 am (the camera says so) at the lost Pontoon I was trying to photograph a bunch of adult drums. When i got home and uploaded the pics, this was one of the pictures. I'm sure I'm going to feel really stupied when someone identifies it but I have no clue to what is is. The drums are not in the photo but before it and after this pic are pics of drums.

 

[smellzlikefish]

Could you post some of the pictures you got of the drums? I'm suspicious that this is a drum with different coloration. Often fish will change color abruptly to express dominance or show mood. Just a thought.

 

[Rick Murchison]

just a drum swimming away. what appears to be a mouth is a minnow between the camera and the drum.
Rick

 

[ryan115]

My first instinct goes to Cubbyu Pareques umbrosus. Going by the stage of the juvenile haemulids in the picture I wouldng guess it to be much more than ~10" (does that sound about right?)

 

[oceanbound]

ok, if I post these right these are the pictures in succession of when shot with the camera. (and no it's not my best work with a camera) name of file first and time shot second
drumA - 11:40:20
drumB - 11:40:29
drumC - 11:40:37 (what is it fish)
drumD - 11:40:50
drumE - 11:40:58


while i believe it's very possible that a bait fish could be at it's mouth, I think the head isn't shaped like the other drums. but hey, could be.

 

[Walter]

None of them are Drums. They are all Cubbyu, including the one you are asking about.

 

[oceanbound]

ok. so that clears that up.

note: the Cubbyu is the common name, the scientific name is pareques umbrosus and it's in the family of Sciaenidae (drums & croakers).

 

[Rick Murchison]

None of them are Drums. They are all Cubbyu, including the one you are asking about.

Well, yeah, they are... and Cubbyu are Drum, as Drum is the common name for the whole family (Sciaenidae).

Rick

 

[Walter]

Drum is the common name for Black Drum. While Cubbyu are members of the Drum family, calling them "Drum" is misleading; making folks think of the Black Drum which are almost exclusively referred to as "Drum" or the Spotted Drum. Red Fish, Croakers, Highhats, and Jackknifes are also in the Drum family, but like Cubbyu are never referred to as "Drum."

 

[Rick Murchison]

...Cubbyu are never referred to as "Drum."

Never say never! Common names are as local as, well, localities. Along the upper Gulf coast, Cubbyu and Highhat are often just called a "Drum" and the Black Drum is called the "Black Drum." Since Paul Prudhomme popularized "Redfish" only us 'oldtimers' still use "Red Drum" but there are plenty of us left. 'Course we still call Coryphaena hippurus "Dolphin" and Epinephelus itajara "Jewfish" too.

Rick