# Argyrosomus regius

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Species of fish

Argyrosomus regius Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Sciaenidae Genus: Argyrosomus Species: A. regius Binomial name Argyrosomus regius Asso, 1801[2] Synonyms[2] List Sciaena aquila Cuvier, 1817 Perca regia Asso, 1801 Argyrosomus regium (Asso, 1801) Sciaena regius (Asso, 1801) Cheilodipterus aquila Lacepède, 1803 Sciaena aquila (Lacepède, 1803) Perca vanloo Risso, 1810 Argyrosomus procerus De la Pylaie, 1835 Sciaena umbra (non Linnaeus, 1758) Johnius hololepidotus (non Lacepède, 1801)

***Argyrosomus regius***, also known as the **meagre**, **croaker**, **jewfish**, **shade-fish**, **sowa**, **kir**, **corvina**, **salmon-bass** or **stone bass**, is a species of [fish](/source/Fish) of the family [Sciaenidae](/source/Sciaenidae). This large fish has a pearly-silver to brownish coloration and a yellow-coloured mouth. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, as well as the [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean) and [Black Seas](/source/Black_Sea).[2]

## Taxonomy

*Argyrosomus regius* was first formally [described](/source/Species_description) in 1801 as *Perca regia* by the Spanish [diplomat](/source/Diplomat), [naturalist](/source/Naturalist), [lawyer](/source/Lawyer) and [historian](/source/Historian) [Ignacio Jordán Claudio de Asso y del Rio](/source/Ignacio_Jord%C3%A1n_Claudio_de_Asso_y_del_Rio) with the [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given as [La Rochelle](/source/La_Rochelle) in [Charente-Maritime](/source/Charente-Maritime) on the [Bay of Biscay](/source/Bay_of_Biscay) coast of France.[3] The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)) *regius* means "royal". This was not explained by Asso but may be a [Latinisation](/source/Latinisation_of_names) of the [Catalan](/source/Catalan_language) name for this species, *reix*.[4]

## Description

*Argyrosomus regius* has a relatively large head with quite small eyes, the large mouth is at the terminal position and it has an elongated body. The [lateral line](/source/Lateral_line) is easily seen and extends all the way to the [caudal fin](/source/Caudal_fin). The rear [dorsal](/source/Dorsal_fin) fin is much longer than first one which has nine rays. The first ray of the anal fin is short and spiny while the second is very thin. The swim bladder contains several branched appendages which are vibrated to make a grunting sound which can be heard from up to 30m away and this grunting is produced by the males during the spawning season. The body colour is pearly-silver, with bronze traits dorsally. The fin bases are reddish brown and mouth cavity yellow-gold or salmon pink. The scales are large and every fourth scale is set at a different angle from the rest.[5][6] It can reach up to 2.3 m (7.5 ft) in total length and 103 kg (227 lb) in weight.[2]

## Distribution

*Argyrosomus regius* is found in the eastern Atlantic from [Norway](/source/Norway) to [DR Congo](/source/DR_Congo), including the [Mediterranean Sea](/source/Mediterranean_Sea) and the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea). It has colonised the [Red Sea](/source/Red_Sea) by migrating through the [Suez Canal](/source/Suez_Canal), an [anti-Lessepsian migration](/source/Lessepsian_migration).[1][2] It is rare in the relatively cold, far north of its range, including off the British Isles (three records) and Scandinavia.[6]

## Behaviour and life history

Two individuals at [Cretaquarium](/source/Cretaquarium) in Greece

*Argyrosomus regius* is a [demersal](/source/Demersal), [oceanodromous](/source/Oceanodromous) fish which is found in inshore waters and on the [continental shelf](/source/Continental_shelf), it can occur close to the bottom as well as in surface and mid-waters. The adults prey on [grey mullet](/source/Grey_mullet) and [clupeids](/source/Clupeidae) such as sardines[6] which are actively pursued in open water. The adults gather in inshore waters to spawn during spring and summer. The juveniles and subadults prefer estuaries and coastal lagoons, and the health of recruitment into the adult population is possibly determined by the availability of these habitats. These fish are migratory, at all ages, migrating along shore or between offshore and inshore waters in response to temperature changes. *A. regius* feeds on fishes and swimming crustaceans and mostly occurs over sand, close to rocks, at depths of 1–200 m (3.3–656.2 ft), but commonly found at 15–100 m (49–328 ft). The three main spawning sites in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea are the [Nile Delta](/source/Nile_Delta), [Lévrier Bay](/source/Dakhlet_Nouadhibou), and the [Gironde estuary](/source/Gironde_estuary) and with large numbers of adults congregate at these sites between May and July.[1] Large schools of *A. regius* occur around wrecked ships that were deliberately sunk to create new habitat for a number of commercially caught species of fish. Most of their growth happens during the summer months and feeding activity is significantly reduced when the water temperature drops below 13–15 °C (55–59 °F).[5]

The newly hatched juveniles leave the estuaries where they spend the first few months at the end of summer and move into coastal waters with depths between 20 and 40 m (66–131 ft) where they spend the winter months. In the following [spring](/source/Spring_(season)) they return to their estuarine feeding areas from the middle of May. Water temperature is the most important factor that determines the trophic migration and reproduction of meagre. An adult female *A. regius* measuring 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length produces about 800,000 eggs and spawning occurs when the water temperature is 17–22 °C (63–72 °F). The juveniles eat small demersal fish and crustaceans switching to pelagic fish and cephalopods once they grow to 30–40 cm in length.[5]

## Fisheries

*Argyrosomus regius* is fished commercially using trawls, long lines, and hand lines. It is also a sport fishing quarry species.[1] Specimens of 1.8 m in length and over 50 kg in weight which were landed in Portugal in 2002 fetched over €200.[7] The main meagre fisheries are currently in Mauritania, Morocco, and Egypt and these account for over 80% of the annual world catch of around 10,000 tonnes. The European fisheries are comparatively small and are on the Atlantic coasts of Spain, Portugal and France with annual catches of 800 t in France, 400 t in Portugal and 150 t in Spain.[7]

## Aquaculture

The farming of *Argyrosomus regius* is still rather experimental and involves intensive production, in land-based tanks and sea cages. There are few facilities established mainly in southern France where they are in the [Camargue](/source/Camargue), [Cannes](/source/Cannes), and [Corsica](/source/Corsica), in [Huelva](/source/Huelva), Spain, and at [La Spezia](/source/La_Spezia) and [Laguna di Orbetello](/source/Laguna_di_Orbetello) in Italy.[5] It is also produced in large quantities in Turkey.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_20_November_2021_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_20_November_2021_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_20_November_2021_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_20_November_2021_1-3) Pollard, D.A.; Bizsel, K. (2020). ["*Argyrosomus regius*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198706/130099146). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2020** e.T198706A130099146. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T198706A130099146.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T198706A130099146.en). Retrieved 20 November 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-4) ["Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801)"](http://www.fishbase.org/summary/418). Fishbase.org. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF_3-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Argyrosomus*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Argyrosomus). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 17 August 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ETYFfish_4-0)** Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (19 December 2024). ["Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 5): Family SCIAENIDAE"](https://etyfish.org/acanthuriformes5/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. v. 3.0. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 20 February 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-3) ["Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme *Argyrosomus regius* (Asso, 1801)"](http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Argyrosomus_regius/en). [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations](/source/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization_of_the_United_Nations). Retrieved 26 December 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Glaucus_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Glaucus_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Glaucus_6-2) ["*Argyrosomus regius*"](https://www.glaucus.org.uk/Drumfish.htm). British Marine Life Study Society. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Prista_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Prista_7-1) Prista, Nuno Miguel Guerra Geoffroy (2013). ["1"](http://repositorio.ul.pt/bitstream/10451/10817/1/ulsd068002_td_Nuno_Prista.pdf) (PDF). *Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801) fishery and ecology in Portuguese waters, with reference to its relationships to other European and African populations* (Ph.D.). Universidad de Lisboa. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

## External links

- [List of names in the various countries](http://www.benessere.com/alimentazione/pesce/142_Ombrina_boccadoro.htm) (in Italian)

- [Taxonomy of genus *Argyrosomus*](http://www.bioline.org.br/abstract?id=fb95004&lang=en)

Taxon identifiers Argyrosomus regius Wikidata: Q358337 Wikispecies: Argyrosomus regius ADW: Argyrosomus_regius BOLD: 86776 CoL: GKJG EoL: 203937 EUNIS: 124117 FishBase: 418 GBIF: 5212437 iNaturalist: 118679 IRMNG: 10151250 ITIS: 169366 IUCN: 198706 NBN: NBNSYS0000179390 NCBI: 172269 Observation.org: 2089 OBIS: 127007 Plazi: F8F02259-3598-7A96-DB59-26E9D74A080F WoRMS: 127007

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Argyrosomus regius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyrosomus_regius) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyrosomus_regius?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.