REVIEW OF THE WEAKFISHES (CYNOSCION) OF THE 
ATLANTIC AND GULF COASTS OF THE UNITED STATES, 
WITH A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES 1 
By ISAAC GINSBURG 
Assistant Aquatic Biologist, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries 
The relation of the sand squeteague or, as it is locally called in Texas, sand trout 
of the Gulf coast to the gray squeteague of the Atlantic coast has been a perplexing- 
problem. Welsh and Breder, who were the first authors of record to examine critically 
a large series of specimens and who recognized but a single species of sand trout from 
the Gulf coast, which they identified with Cynoscion nothus, state in regard to their 
species as follows: 
Examination of a large series of specimens taken by the Fisheries schooner Grampus in Gulf 
waters indicates that the species is very close to Cynoscion regalis, and that its claim to specific 
rank is at least doubtful. Although an apparently well-marked variety, further study may show 
complete intergradation of characters with the latter species. R. J. Coles (1916) 2 considers it simply 
a color variation of C. regalis. (Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Vol. XXXIX, 1923-1924, p. 169.) 
Commercially, the gray trout is a very important species in the fisheries of the 
Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to the coast of North Carolina. In any study of its 
migrations and localized races it becomes evident that it is important, first of all, to 
determine definitely its interrelationship with closely related species. It is especially 
important to know the exact morphological limits of the species in determining such 
problems as the age of the fish or its rate of growth. In general, it is axiomatic that 
in a study of the life history of any species all conclusions must be based on an 
examination of individuals of the same species, but this has not been the universal 
rule in the case of the squeteagues. Workers with these fishes, including myself, have 
not always properly separated their material and frequently have based their identifi- 
cations on geographical lines. That this is true becomes evident from a study of the 
published records of these fishes as well as some of the material on which the records 
are based, after one becomes familiar with the real specific characters, as outlined 
below. Hitherto young individuals, especially, have been confused because they are 
almost inseparable in general appearance. The present study was undertaken for 
the purpose of finding, if possible, usable characters by which the individual fishes 
may be distinguished and recognized at all stages of growth. 
The status of the species of Cynoscion on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the 
United States, as they are generally understood at the present time, may be reviewed 
and summarized as follows: First of all, we have the spotted squeteague, Cynoscion 
nebvlosus. This species is fairly common on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and be- 
cause of its distinctive color and scaleless dorsal and anal fins it is easily recognized 
and distinguished from the paler weakfishes. It is now generally agreed that there 
is but one species of spotted weakfish common to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. This 
species is not considered in the present paper. 
• Submitted for publication Apr. 22, 1929. 
• Russell J. Coles: Is Cynoscion nothus an abnormal regalis? Copeia, No. 30, Apr. 24, 1916, pp. 30-31. New York. 
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