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Common Pompano
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The common pompano has its home along our South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. It is rare in the West Indies and on the coast of Brazil, and does not occur on our Pacific Coast. On the Atlantic Coast it ranges as far north as Cape Cod, but it is not at all common north of New Jersey, and its occurrence that far north is irregular and uncertain. It seems to be most abundant on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and is particularly common in Indian River and on the west coast of Florida. Of all the fishes of Indian River, the pompano is the most valued and brings the best price to fishermen and dealers. It is present there throughout the year, being most abundant in winter. The best fishing seems to be from late January to April. They are most abundant about the inlets, and play in and out with the tide. They run in bunches or schools, and are easily influenced by changes in temperature. They are a warm-water fish, and a cold snap causes them to leave the river temporarily. The unusual cold of December, 1894, and February, 1895, affected them quite seriously, not only driving them away, but actually killing many. The pompano does not appear to be properly a migratory fish, and when it leaves Indian River it probably does not wander far from the inlets. In summer, however, when the water is warm, many young and some adults are apt to wander north on our coasts at least to Woods Hole. Very little is definitely known regarding the spawning habits of the pompano. On the east coast of Florida they probably spawn in Indian River chiefly in April and May. The food of this fish consists principally of small bivalve mollusks and small crustaceans. They feed extensively about the inlets and in the surf outside. They are often seen rooting or digging for food in the sand or mud, their caudal fins sometimes appearing above the water.
The pompano is less abundant about Key West, but from a little further north on the Gulf Coast to the mouth of the Mississippi it is a common fish, large quantities being brought to the markets of Tampa and Pensacola. On the west side of the Gulf it appears to be uncommon. About Pensacola it seems to be a migratory fish, but southward it is probably not so.
The pompano reaches a length of about 18 inches and a weight of 7 or 8 pounds, though examples of more than 2 or 3 pounds are not now often seen.
As a food-fish there is none better than the pompano, either in the fresh waters or in the seas. This is practically the unanimous verdict of epicures and all others who have had the pleasure of eating the pompano, fresh from the water. The flesh is firm and rich, and possesses a delicacy of flavor peculiarly pleasing to the palate.
The pompano is not a game-fish. "It is mullet-mouthed and never takes a hook except by a mistake," says Genio Scott; but Mr. S. C. Clarke says they have been known to bite at a clam-bait, and Mr. Silas Stearns says they are sometimes taken on the hook about Pensacola.
Head 4; depth 2 1/3 to 2 2/5; eye 4 1/2; snout 4 1/2; D. VI-I, 25; A. II-I, 23; ventrals 2 1/2. Body oblong, compressed, rather robust, the greatest thickness 3 in depth; snout from mouth to horizontal from upper edge of eye nearly vertical, somewhat bluntly rounded; profile from upper edge of snout to procumbent spine evenly convex; mouth nearly horizontal, maxillary reaching middle of eye, its length 2 7/8 in head; no teeth in adult; ventrals reaching 3/5 distance to vent, about 1/2 length of pectoral; dorsal and anal fins falcate, anterior rays nearly reaching middle of fins when depressed; dorsal lobe 4 1/2, anal 5 1/2 in body. Colour, bluish above, silvery or slightly golden below; pectoral and anal light orange, shaded with bluish; caudal and upper portion of caudal peduncle with bluish reflections; breast more or less yellowish; top of head bluish.
Trachinotus paloma is an unimportant species, known only from Cape San Lucas, Mazatlan, and San Juan Lagoon. It reaches a length of a foot. As a food-fish it is not distinguished by the Mexican fishermen from other species of the genus. It closely resembles the common pompano, but has the head rather larger, it being 3 1/3 to 3 1/6 in length instead of 4.
Trachinotus cayennensis is another rare species, known only from a single specimen obtained at Cayenne. It is close to T. falcatus, but has more numerous fin-rays, D. V-I, 27; A. II-I, 26.
Recently a new genus and species of this family was described from the Revillagigedo Islands by Jordan and McGregor as Zalocys stilbe. The genus is close to Trachinotus. The single specimen known is 16 inches long.