Drums & Croakers
Spotted Drum
Equetus punctatus
Species Overview
White body with a broad dark brown band and two dark brown bars on the head; very tall, short-based first dorsal fin; second dorsal and tail fins dark with white spots and dashes; small, inferior, nearly horizontal mouth. Dorsal XI–XIII, 45–47; anal II, 6–8.
- Size
- Typical 15–25 cm (6–10 in) (ReefGuide); common length 18 cm TL (7 in); maximum recorded 27 cm TL (10.6 in) (FishBase).
- Depth range
- 3–30 m (FishBase); 5–30 m (ReefGuide).
- Habitat
- Marine, reef-associated, tropical; mainly coral reefs, sheltering under ledges or near small caves and around coral bases.
- Diet
- Crabs, shrimps and polychaete worms (FishBase).
- Range
- Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida and Bermuda (ReefGuide); Western Atlantic from Bermuda, Florida and the Bahamas to the Antilles, and Yucatan to Brazil (FishBase).
Ecological role
Nocturnal predator of small benthic invertebrates (crustaceans and polychaetes) on coral reefs (FishBase).
Explore reef conservation
Learn about Caribbean reef habitats, invasive lionfish and the work of the Caribbean Reef Fish Foundation.
TL means total length; SL excludes the tail fin; FL measures to the tail fork. These measurements are not interchangeable.