suco croaker
Paralonchurus dumerilii
Small croaker of the sandy beaches, bays and estuaries of the Pacific, from Guatemala to Peru, with very clear bands on the flanks. Seldom sought by anglers, but common in local markets.
Also called: pescada-listrada, rayado, pancha rayada, lambe suco, suco croaker
- maximum
- 45 cm
- record/max.
- 1.0 kg
who is the suco croaker
The striped croaker is a fish of the family Sciaenidae, the croakers and drums. It reaches 45 cm and 1 kg, and the common size is 30 cm. It lives on sandy bottoms of beaches and bays, down to 30 m, and also enters estuaries, in the eastern Pacific, from Guatemala to Peru. It has an elongated, moderately compressed body, with an arched back, and it feeds mainly on marine worms and other bottom invertebrates. It has small-scale commercial fishing and is common in local markets.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the suco croaker; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, silvery body, with very clear dark bands on the flanks and pale fins. The mouth is small and turned downward, and the chin has fine barbels. The banded croaker (Paralonchurus peruanus), which lives on the same coast, has faint bands and dark fins. The angel croaker (Paralonchurus goodei) is of the same genus and also lives on that coast.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Tropical eastern Pacific, from Guatemala to Peru, on sandy beaches, in bays and estuaries of Central America and northwestern South America.
Habitat: Sandy bottoms of beaches, bays and estuaries, down to 30 m deep.
rules for the suco croaker
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to anglers. Release with care any small individuals you do not keep.
in the kitchen
Sold in local markets.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00708, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Paralonchurus dumerilii (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Paralonchurus dumeriliiNames by country and language.
