Sheepshead x
Latin Name: Archosargus probatocephalus
Have you ever seen a fish with large teeth? The sheepshead has earned their name with their prominent teeth which includes incisors, molars, and rounded grinders. They have laterally compressed bodies that are greenish-gray in color with 5 or 6 dark lines down the sides of their body. Their dorsal and anal fins are strong with 11-12 spines but they do not have any barbels or spines anywhere on their head. The sheepshead on average is about 14 inches and 3 pounds with a maximum age of 25 years.
Range & Habitat
Sheepshead are found from Nova Scotia to Louisiana but are divided geographically into three subspecies the atlantic sheepshead found in South Carolina is A.p. aries. As adults they are found in saltwater and brackish coastal waters around rock jetties, pilings, shipwrecks, and other structures. As juveniles they typically inhibit grass beds, muddy bottoms, and oyster reefs within estuaries. As they get older they will slowly begin moving into those hard structure areas in coastal waters.
Diet
Their large teeth aren’t just for show, they’re used as their key method for eating. Adult sheepshead eat things like oysters, barnacles, crabs, mussels, and clams. All things that have hard outer shells that would require their large teeth to crack through. Juveniles mainly eat things like bivalves and crabs, but they also feed on things like algae and bryozoans or even zooplankton when they are in the larval stage.
Life History
Sheepshead typically only spawn in March and April, but they are fractional spawners meaning they only lay a portion of their eggs at a time. After spawning offshore they then return to estuarine waters. They lay their eggs in both nearshore and offshore locations but typically near structures. After hatching and living a pelagic life as larvae they eventually move into estuaries near structures to continue to feed and grow. Adult sheepshead mature between 2-5 years of age. Males are considered mature at 7-14 inches and females are mature at 9-14 inches long.
Significance
Sheepshead are a nonmigratory species so they are in South Carolina waters year round. While they do not have a demand in commercial fisheries they are a highly sought after species for recreational purposes.
Threats & How You Can Help
The sheepshead is not currently in any danger of a decline. However, due to their correlations with estuaries and coastline ecosystems pollution and climate change is an obvious threat to their population. There is also a potential for overfishing simply due to the lack of regulation on the species. The only way to help preserve the species is to do your part to minimize water pollution. As well as aid in local research on their habitats and monitoring the species numbers.
Additional Info
https://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/species/sheepshead.html
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/saltwater/porgy/sheepshead/