Banded Drum

Banded Drum -  Larimus fasciatus

*Information from FAO Species Identification Guide Western Central Atlantic*

Banded drum
Size

Maximum 22 cm; common to 15 cm.

Diagnostic characters

A moderately small fish, body short and robust. Mouth large, strongly oblique, lower jaw projecting; maxilla reaching beyond middle of eye. Teeth very small and pointed, set in 1 or 2 rows along edges of jaws.Chin without barbels, but with 4 minute pores;snout with 5 marginal pores and no rostral pores. Gill rakers 34 to 36, very long and slender, on first arch. Preopercular margin smooth. Spinous dorsal fin with 10 spines, posterior portion with 1 spine and 24 to 27 soft rays; anal fin with 2 spines and 6 or 7 soft rays, second spine long and stout; caudal fin rounded in adults. Gas bladder simple, carrot-shaped, without anterior appendages. Sagitta (large earstone) short but very thick, lapillus (small earstone) rudimentary. Scales large, ctenoid (comb-like) on body and head, except before and below eyes. Colour: greyish olive above, silvery white below; back with 7 to 9 rather conspicuous dark vertical bars; inside of opercle dark; lower parts of pelvic fins, anal and caudal fins yellowish.

Habitat, biology, and fisheries

Found over mud and sandymud bottoms in coastal waters to about 60 m, not common in estuaries. Feeds mainly on small shrimps. Caught mainly with bottom
trawls; occasionally with seines and pound nets. No special fishery but common in trawl bycatch from the shrimp grounds in the Gulf of Mexico. Not marketed for human consumption; used mostly for bait.

Distribution

Northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast of the USA from south Florida to Massachusetts.