The spot was first formally described in 1802 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède with its type locality given as Carolina. … See more

The spot's generic name, Leiostomus means "smooth mouth" and refers to the toothless lower jaw. The specific name xanthurus means … See more

The spot is native to the west central and northwest regions on the Atlantic Ocean. It is found along the Gulf of Mexico, along the southern coast of the U.S from Massachusetts and … See more

The spot is a very important fish for both recreational and commercial fishing. In 2021 the total landing of spot in the Southern Atlantic … See more

The spot is relatively deep-bodied and compressed with a humped back. The mouth is almost horizontal and is equipped with bands of small teeth. There is no barbel on the chin but there are five pores there with more pores on the snout, five on the sides and five … See more

The spot is omnivorous, and eats benthic invertebrates, small crustaceans, and plant and animal detritus. This includes polychaetes, … See more

The spot spawns in fall to early winter time. It moves from its typical bay and estuary habitat to an offshore area of deeper water, where up to 1.7 million eggs may be laid. The … See more