REFERENCECOPY 

Do Not Remove from the Library 

Ba

U. S. Fi~h and Wildlife Service 

Kesea rch TR EL-82.4 

March 1987 700 Cajun Dome Boulevard 

Lafayette, Louisiana 70506 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and 

Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes 

and Invertebrates (Gulf of Mexico) 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Fish and Wildlife Service Wateways ~xperiment station 

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Anny Corps of Engineers 
Biological Report 82(11.71) 

TR EL-82-4 

March 1987 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements 

of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Gulf of Mexico) 

PIGFISH 

Frederick C. Sutter and Thomas D. McIlwain 

Gulf Coast Research Laboratory 

Fisheries Research and Development 

East Beach Boulevard 

Ocean Springs, MS 39564 

Project Manager 

Carroll Cordes 

Project Officer 

David Moran 

National Wetlands Research Center 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Sl idel 1 , LA 70458 

Performed for 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Waterways Experiment Station 

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 

and 

National Wetlands Research Center 

Research and Development 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

U. S. Department of Interior' 

Washington, DC 20240 
This series may be referenced as follows: 

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983-19-. Species profiles: life histories 

and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates. U. S. Fish 

Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 

This profile may be cited as follows: 

Sutter, F. C., and T. D. McIlwain. 1987'. Species profiles: life histories and 

environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (Gulf of 

Mexico)--pigfish. U. S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11.71). U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 11 pp. 
PREFACE 

This species profile is one of a series on coastal aquatic organisms, 

principal ly fish, of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profiles 

are designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief 

comprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmental 

requirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be 

expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Each 

profile has sections on taxonomy, 1 ife history, ecological role, environmental 

requirements, and economic importance, if appl icable. A three-ring binder is 

used for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared. 

This project is jointly planned and financed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to one of 

the foll owing addresses. 

Information Transfer Specialist 

National Wetlands Research Center 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

NASA-Sl idel 1 Computer Complex 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Slidell, LA 70458 

U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station 

Attention: WESER-C 

Post Office Box 631 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 
ONVERSION TABLE 

Metric to U.S. Customary 

Multiply !!Y 

millimeters (mm) 

centimeters (cm) 

meters (m) 

meters (m) 

kilometers (km) 

kilometers (km) 

square meters (mZ) 10.76 

square kilometers (kmz) 0.3861 

hectares (ha) 2.471 

liters (1) 

cubic meters (m3) 

cubic meters (m3) 

mi 11 igrams (mg) 

grams (g) kilograms (kg) 

metric tons (t) 

metric tons (t) 

kilocalories (kcal ) 3.968 

Celsius degrees (OC) 1.8(OC) + 32 

U.S. Customary to Metric 

inches 25.40 

inches 2.54 

feet (ft) 0.3048 

fathoms 1.829 

statute miles (mi) 1.609 

nautical miles (nmi) 1.852 

square feet (ft2) 

square miles (mi2) 

acres 

gallons (gal) 3.785 

cubic feet (ft3) 0.02831 

acre- feet 1233.0 

ounces (02) 

ounces (02) 

pounds (lb) 

pounds (lb) 

short tons (ton) 

British thermal units (Btu) 0.2520 

Fahrenheit degrees (OF) 0.5556(OF - 32) 

To Obtain 

inches 

inches 

feet 

fathoms 

statute miles 

nautical miles 

square feet 

square miles 

acres 

gallons 

cubic feet 

acre-feet 

ounces 

ounces 

pounds 

pounds 

short tons 

British thermal units 

Fahrenheit degrees 

millimeters 

cevtimeters 

meters 

meters 

ki 1 ometers 

kilometers 

square meters 

square ki 1 ometers 

hectares 

1 i ters 

cubic meters 

cubic meters 

milligrams 

grams 

ki 1 ograms 

metric tons 

metric tons 

kilocalories 

Celsius degrees 
CONTENTS 

Page 

PREFACE ................................. iii 

CONVERSIONTABLE ............................ iv 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................. vi 

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE ....................... 1 

MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATIONAIDS ..................... 1 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN THE SERIES ................... 3 

LIFE HISTORY ............................... '3 

Spawning ............................... 3 

Eggs ................................. 3 

Larvae ................................ 3 

Juveniles .............................. 4 

Adults ................................ 5 

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS ......................... 5 

THE FISHERY ............................... 5 

ECOLOGICAL ROLE ............................. 5 

Food Habits ............................. 5 

Predators .............................. 6 

Parasites and Diseases ........................ 6 

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ....................... 6 

Temperature and Salinity ....................... 6 

DissolvedOxygen ........................... 8 

Substrate ............................... 8 

LITERATURECITED ............................ 9 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We gratefully acknowledge peer reviews by R.L. Shipp, University of South 

Alabama, Mobile, and H. D. Hoese, University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette. 
Figure 1. Pigfish (adult). 

PIGFISH 

Scientific name . . . . . Orthopristis 

chrvsoptera (Linnaeus) 

Preferred common name . . . . Pigfish 

(Figure 1) 

Class . . . . . . . . . . Osteichthyes 

Order . . . . . . . . . . Perciformes 

Family . . . . . . . . . . Haemulidae 

Geographical range: Pigf i sh are 

distributed along the Atlantic coast 

from Massachusetts (Hoese and Moore 

1977) to the tip of Florida, but 

are uncommon north of Virginia 

(Breder 1948). They are found 

throughout the Gulf of Mexico 

(Figure 2; Briggs 1958) and in 

coastal waters around Bermuda. 

ovate-elliptical, considerably compressed, its depth contained 2.6 to 

3.0 times in standard length (SL). 

Posterior edge of upper jaw not 

reaching to below eye; two pores 

and a median groove on chin; jaws 

with a narrow band of slender teeth; 

preopercular margin very slightly 

serrate; gill rakers short and 

slender, about 12 on lower limb of 

first arch. Dorsal fin with 12 or 

13 spines and 15 or 16 soft rays; 

anal fin with 3 spines and 12 or 13 

soft rays; dorsal and anal fin spines 

enclosed in a deep scaly sheath, the 

soft rays naked. Scales ctenoid; 

pored lateral-line scales 55 to 58; 

10 longitudinal rows of scales above 

the lateral line and 19 rows below. 

Color of body: 1 ight blue-gray 

MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS above, shading gradually into silver 

below; each scale of body with a blue 

The following descriptive charac- center, the edge with a bronze spot; 

teristics for pigfish were taken from these spots form distinct orange-brown 

Courtenay and Sahlman (1978): Body stripes extending obliquely upward 

and backward on back and sides, those 

below being nearly horizontal; head 

with bronze spots; fins ye1 low-bronze 

with dusky margins. 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN THE SERIES 

Pigfish are common inhabitants of 

warm gulf waters (Reid 1954). They 

are frequently taken by sport anglers, 

especially in Florida waters, and are 

considered to be a good quality food 

fish (Darcy 1983) ; however, they have 

only 1 imi ted economic importance 

(Joseph and Yerger 1956). Pigfish 

are often trapped and used for 1 ive 

bait (Carr 1976). They are also 

used as a source of food by other 

predatory species (Smith 1907). 

LIFE HISTORY 

Spawning 

Pigfish mature by their second year 

of life (Taylor 1916; Hildebrand and 

Cable 1930). Reid (1954) concluded 

that spawning in gulf waters near 

Cedar Key, Florida, was probably 

in spring, since small young-of-theyear (23 to 28 mm SL) first appeared 

in May. He also noted a bimodal 

length-frequency curve for that month, 

suggesting that pigfish in this area 

of the gulf may have two breeding 

peaks or "growth spurts. " Adult 

females taken during July from the 

Cedar Key area showed some signs of 

maturing gonads; however, they were 

far from ripe. After comparing 

average monthly lengths and 

seasonality of fish in other areas, 

Grimes and Mountain (1971) concluded 

that pigfish apparently spawn in 

about March in gulf waters near 

Crystal River, Florida. Gunter (1945) 

found ripe males in Texas gulf waters 

in March and April and suggested that 

the fish probably spawn there before 

June. 

Other studies from the Gulf of 

Mexico also indicate that spawning 

occurs in the late winter or spring: 

Tampa Bay, Florida, March-May 

(Springer and Woodburn 1960); 

A1 1 igator Harbor, Florida, March 

(Joseph and Yerger 1956); eastern 

Gulf of Mexico, Janua'ry-May (Darcy 

1983); and Horn Island, Mississippi, 

March-Apri 1 (Franks 1970). Hoese 

(1965) reported that pigf i sh larvae 

were found off Port Aransas from late 

February through June. Hasti ngs 

(1972) noted that spawning may occur 

in open water prior to inshore 

migrations during March-Apri 1 in 

St. Andrew Bay, Florida. 

Pigfish spawn during March to June 

along the inside shores of Bogue and 

Shackleford Banks, North Carolina, and 

within the harbor and estuaries on 

the outer shores of these banks 

(Hildebrand and Cable 1930). Spawning 

apparently takes place during the 

early evening hours (Towers 1928; 

Hi ldebrand and Cable 1930). 

Johnson (1978) reported that pigfish 

eggs are buoyant, highly transparent, 

and spherical (0.7 to 0.8 mm in 

diameter). The eggs have a single 

oil globule (rarely two or three) 

that averages 0.16 mm in diameter. 

Pigfish eggs are easily con'fused with 

those of silver perch (Bairdiella 

chrysoura). This problem is magnified 

by the fact that the two species 

spawn at nearly the same time and in 

similar areas. 

Larvae 

Hildebrand and Cable (1930) provided 

descriptions of larval pigfish 

collected from North Carolina waters. 

Watson (1983) updated their descriptions using a series of larval pigfish 

specimens from lower Cape Fear 

Estuary, North Carolina, and from the 

gulf waters off Texas. Pigfish 

larvae can be separated from those 

of other haemulids (grunts) by the 

presence of 11 soft rays in the anal 

fin (Watson 1983). Darcy (1983) 
cited a study by Houde et al. (1979) 

describing the distribution and 

abundance of pigfish larvae in the 

eastern gulf. They found one peak 

of abundance in late winter and 

spring, mainly inside a depth of 

50 m. 

Juveni 1 es 

Juvenile pigfish are fully scaled 

by 25 mm SL and achieve adult form 

by 70 mm SL (Figure 3; Hildebrand and 

Cable 1930). At 25 mm, they have a 

prominent dark mi d l a t e r a l band with 

an additional dark band from the nape 

to the base of the second dorsal fin. 

The mid- 1 ateral bands often disappear 

at a length of approximately 40 mm SLY 

but the anterior position of the 

1 ower band may remain 1 onger (Johnson 

1978). Juvenile pigfish have ye1 low 

and green horizontal lines along their 

sides that are most prominent on the 

cheeks and opercles. 

Grimes and Mountain (1971), working 

in an area of thermal effluent near 

Crystal River, Florida, first noted 

young-of-the-year pigf ish in trawl 

samples taken during June. Juvenile 

pigfish (smallest, 12.5 mm SL) were 

first taken in April from Tampa Bay 

(Springer and Woodburn 1960) and 

St. Andrew Bay, Florida (Hastings 

1972). Juveniles were most abundant 

during May in Cedar Key, Florida 

(Reid 1954). In Alligator Harbor, 

Florida, Joseph and Yerger (1956) 

reported that juveniles (41 mm SL) 

were present by June. Gunter (1945) 

and Hi ldebrand (1954) collected 

smallest pigfish in shallow bays along 

the Texas gulf coast. 

Juvenile pigfish may associate with 

other species of fish. Darcy (1983) 

referenced a study by Wang and Raney 

(1971) from Charlotte Harbor, Florida, 

where young pigfish (16-25 mm SL) were 

found in mixed schools with small 

pinfish. 

Figure 3. Juvenile pigfish, 38 mm TL (from Hildebrand and Cable 1930, Figure 37). 

4 
Adults 

Adult pigfish are common in the 

northern and more saline coastal 

areas of the Gulf of Mexico (Springer 

and Woodburn 1960; Moe and Martin 

1965; Hoese and Moore 1977). Reid 

(1954) reported that adult pigfish 

were found in Cedar Key, Florida, 

throughout the year (except January); 

however, pigfish were most abundant 

during summer months. Grimes and 

Mountain (1971) also noted that pigfish were more commonly taken during 

later summer and fall months in 

Crystal River, Florida. Along the 

coastal areas of north Florida, pigfish have been reported to be among 

the most abundant finfish col lected 

(Joseph and Yerger 1956; Hastings et 

al. 1976; Ogren and Brusher 1977; 

Pristas and Trent 1978; Darcy 1983). 

Adult pigfish also occur in the 

offshore and open-shelf areas of 

the Gulf of Mexico. Darcy (1983) 

noted a study by Cody et al. (1978) 

stating that pigfish occurred in 

40%-43% of all trawl catches on the 

white shrimp grounds off the Texas 

gulf coast. Pigfish have also been 

taken from offshore reefs and platforms along the northern gulf 

(Hastings 1972; Hastings et al. 1976; 

Darcy 1983). Moe and Martin (1965) 

reported that pigfish may be more 

abundant in offshore waters than 

inshore in the southern regions of 

the Gulf of Mexico. Hildebrand (1954) 

noted that pigfish were abundant on 

the she1 1 banks off Campeche, Mexico. 

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS 

Pigfish reach a maximum length of 

46 cm SL (Courtenay and Sahlman 1978) 

and a weight of 0.9 kg (2 lb) 

(Hi ldebrand and Cab1 e 1930; Konchina 

1977; Darcy 1983). FCw pigfish older 

than 3 years old and very few age 4 

fish have been taken along the 

Atlantic coast (Taylor 1916; 

Hildebrand and Cable 1930). 

Information on growth of pigfish 

in gulf waters is limited to age 0 

and age 1 fish (Table 1). Growth 

rates based on these data range from 

7 mm SL/mo (Reid 1954) to 9.3 mm SL/mo 

from June to October. Growth during 

October to Apri 1 slows to 3.1 mm SL/mo 

(Grimes and Mountain 1971) to 5.5 mm 

SL/mo (Reid 1954). 

THE FISHERY 

Commercial statistics are not 

specifical ly reported for pigfish, 

but have been combined with those 

for the other grunts by the Bureau of 

Commercial Fisheries and National 

Marine Fisheries Service. Pigfi sh are 

taken in seines, traps, trawls, and by 

hand1 i nes (Courtenay and Sahl man 

1978). Most are marketed as live bait 

(especialty in Texas); they are also 

considered a good quality food fish 

(Darcy 1983) but have 1 i ttl e economic 

val ue. Marine recreational 1 andi ng 

statistics for pigfish in the Gulf of 

Mexico for 1979 and 1981-85 are 

summarized in Table 2; most are taken 

a1 ong Florida (gulf and Atlantic) and 

the Texas gulf coast waters. 

ECOLOGICAL ROLE 

Food Habits 

Feeding habits of pigfish vary with 

growth stage; they are primarily 

benthic carnivores as adults, possibly 

feeding nocturnadly (Hastings et al. 

1976), while youlng fish are planktivorous (Carr and Adams 1973; Darcy 

1983). Reid (1954) found a shift in 

diet relative to increasing length 

for pigfish taken from Crystal River, 

Florida (Table 3). Small fish (25-50 

mm TL) ate mostly copepods, while 

larger fish shifted to a diet of 

amphipods, shrimps, and other benthic 

organisms. Carr and Adams (1973), 

who also studied juvenile pigfish 

(16-80 mm SL) in the Crystal River, 

found two distinct feeding phases. 

Smaller pigfish (16-30 mm) were planktivorous (eating copepods, mysids, and 
Table 1. Comparative monthly mean standard lengths (mm) for age 0 pigfish (from 

Grimes and Mountain 1971). 

Study 

Year 

collected June Aug. Oct. Dec. Feb. April 

Springer and 

Woodburn 1960 

(Tampa Bay) 

Reid 1954 

(Cedar ~e~s)~ 

Grimes 1971 b 1969 

Crystal River-Affected 44.0 66.0 70.0 79.0 98.0 

Crystal River-Nonaffected 51.0 75.0 111.0 

Grimes and 

Mountain 1971 1970 

Crystal River-Af fected 78.9 94.0 88.2 102.9 

Crystal River-Nonaffected 50.0 68.9 87.2 90.8 105.8 

a Lengths estimated from graph. 

b~tatistical comparison of annual growth (monthly mean standard length vs. time) 

of fish from thermally affected (warmed by the effluent from a steam electric 

station) vs. nonaffected areas revealed no significant difference. 

postlarval shrimp), followed by a 

two-phase carnivorous stage in which 

benthic invertebrates were the major 

food items. The transition from 

planktivore to carnivore was gradual, 

beginning at about 26 mm SL, and was 

complete by 41-45 mm SL. Polychaetes 

were important in the diet of pigfish 

longer than 30 mm, but as fish grew 

larger than 55 mm, caridean and 

penaeid shrimp were consumed more 

frequently (Darcy 1983). 

Parasites and Diseases 

Pigfish have been reported to be 

parasitized by a monogenetic trematode 

that infests the gill filaments 

(Suydam 1971). Springer and Woodburn 

(1960) report that pigfish were 

killed by red tides in Tampa Bay, 

Florida. 

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 

Predators 

Temperature and Salinity 

Pigfish are prey of Atl.antic sharpnose sharks, spotted seatrout, and 

weakfish (Radcliffe 1916; Hastings 

1972; Darcy 1983). Other large 

piscivores, such as snapper and 

grouper, probably also prey on pigfish 

(Darcy 1983). 

Reid (1954) found mean water 

temperature and salinity values of 

25.2 OC and 25.1 ppt in Crystal 

River, Florida, when pigfish were 

most abundant. During December to 

April, when pigfish were taken less 

frequently, values of 15.9 OC and 
Table 2. Summary of recreational fishing statistics for pigfish in the Gulf of 

Mexico. 

Total U. S. 

catch Percent of Catch by Gulf States 

(thousands catch taken in (thousands of fish) 

Time period of fish) Gulf of Mexico FL AL MS LA TX 

Mar- Dec b 2,281 67.0 1,071 -- - - -- 428 

1981 

Jan-Dec b 2,643 76.2 1,769 -- 7 2 169 -- 

1982 

Jan-Dec d 2,770 47.4 587 * * * 726 

1985 

"u. S. National Marine Fisheries Service (1980). 

b~. S. National Marine Fisheries Service (1985a). C U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service (1985b). 

d~. S. National Marine Fisheries Service (1986). 

*means none reported. 

--means less than 30,000 reported; however, the figure is i,ncluded in removed 

col umn totals. 

26.5 ppt were recorded. Roessler 

(1970) collected pigfish from Florida 

waters at temperatures of 19.5 to 

30.6 OC and salinities of 17.2 to 

44.1 ppt. A temperature range of 

13.7 to 36 OC and a salinity range 

of 0 to 38 ppt was also provided by 

Roessler (1970) on the basis of 

published values for pigfish throughout the gulf. Springer and Woodburn 

(1960) reported a tolerance range of 

19.1 to 35 ppt (mean = 28.9 ppt) and 

17.5 to 32.5 OC for pigfish collected 

in Tampa Bay, Florida. In Barataria 

Bay, Louisiana, pigfish were taken 

between 6.2 and 24.3 ppt and between 

17.3 and 30.0 OC (Dunham 1972). 

Pigf ish apparently avoid lowtemperature water, migrating to 

deeper water during the winter 

(Hildebrand and Cable 1930; Gunter 

1945; Reid 1954; Wang and Raney 1971; 

Grimes 1971; Hastings 1972; Ogren 

and Brusher 1977; Naughton and 

Saloman 1978; Darcy 1983). Hastings 

(1972) noted that pigfish were absent 

in collections made at water 

temperatures of 12 to 14 OC; however 

adults were abundant when waters of 

St. Andrew Bay, Florida, warmed to 

16.5 to 31.0 OC. Moe and Martin 

(1965) also noted that pigfish were 

not collected when water temperatures 

in Pine1 las County, Florida, dropped 
Table 3. Food of pigfish (percentage frequency of 

occurrence) from Crystal River, Florida (from Reid 1954). 

Food item 

Size of fish (mm) 

25-50 5 1- 150 151- 170 

- - 

Copepods 

Ostracods 

Amphipods 

Shrimps 

Crabs 

Moll usks 

Polychaetes 

Fishes 

Insects 

be1 ow 12.5 OC. Moore (1976) reported Di'ssol ved Oxygen 

that pigfish were killed during a 

cold wave that caused water tempera- Schwartz et al. (1982) collected 

tures to drop to 4.5 OC (Darcy 1983). pigfish from waters with dissolved 

oxygen concentrations of 2.1 to 

11.8 ppm in Cape Fear Estuary, 

North Carol ina. 

Low salinity areas also appear to 

be avoided by pigfjsh. In Charlotte 

Harbor, Florida, Wang and Raney 

(1971) reported that pigfish were not 

taken in waters with salinity values 

less than 15 ppt. Gunter (1945) found 

all pigfish less than 50 mm TL and 

greater than 200 mm TL in Texas gulf 

waters in salinities greater than 25 

ppt; no specimens were taken in less 

than 10 ppt. Reid (1954) noted a 

mass mortality of pigfish, as well 

as other species, after a hurricane 

caused salinities to drop from 23.5 

ppt to 9.7 ppt over a 4-day period in 

Goose Cove, Florida. However, it was 

probably the rapid drop rather than 

the low salinity that caused the 

mortal i ty (Darcy 1983). 

Substrate 

Juvenile pigfish in Crystal River 

were found on shallow flats with 

considerable plant growth during 

spring and early summer (Reid 1954). 

As the summer anp fall progressed, 

juvenile pigfish moved to deep flats 

and the edges of channels. Adults 

were taken from deeper flats and 

channels with sparse vegetation. 

Adult pigf i sh occurred most frequently over mud bottoms and occasionally 

over sandy, vegetated areas 

(Hi ldebrand and Schroeder 1928; 

Tabb and Manning 1961), hard 

substrates such as reefs and jetties 

(Hastings 1972), and offshore platforms (Hasti ngs et a1 . 1976). 
LITERATURE CITED 

Breder, C. M. Jr. 1948. Field book 

of marine fishes of the Atlantic 

coast from Labrador to Texas. 

G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. 

332 pp. 

Briggs, J. C. 1958. A list of 

Florida fishes and their distribution. Bull. Fla. State Mus. Biol. 

Ser. 2(8): 223-318. 

Carr, p. E. S. 1976. Chemoreception 

and feeding behavior in the pigfish, 

Orthopri sti s chrysopterus: characterization and identification of 

stimulatory substances in a shrimp 

extract. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 

55(A) : 153-157. 

Carr, W. E. S., and C. A. Adams. 

1973. Food habits of juvenile 

marine fishes occupying seagrass 

beds in the estuarine zone near 

Crystal River, Florida. Trans. Am. 

Fish. Soc. 102:511-540. 

Cody, T. J., K. W. Rice, and C. E. 

Bryan. 1978. Commercial fish and 

penaeid shrimp studies northwestern 

Gulf of Mexico. Pt. 5. Abundance 

and distribution of fauna on the 

white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus 

(Linnaeus), grounds off the central 

Texas coast. Coastal Fish. Branch, 

Tex. Parks Wi 1 dl. Dep. , P. L. 88-309, 

Proj. 2-276-R. 39 pp. 

Courtenay, W. R., Jr., and H. F. 

Sahlman. 1978. Pomadasyidae. Vol . 4, Unpaginated in W. Fischer, ed. 

FA0 species identification sheets 

for fishery purposes, western 

central Atlantic (Fishing area 31). 

Food and Agriculture Organization 

of the United Nations, Rome. 

Darcy, G. H. 1983. Synopsis of 

biological data on the viafish. 

~rthopristis chrysoptera. (~isces; 

Haemulidae). FA0 Fish. Synop. No. 

134. 23 pp. 

Dunham, F. 1972. A study of 

comnercial ly important estuarinedependent industrial fishes. La. 

Wildl. Fish. Comn. , Tech. Bull 4. 

63 PP. 

Franks, J. S. 1970. An investigation 

of the fish population within the 

inland waters of Horn Island, 

Mississippi, a barrier island 

in the northern Gulf of Mexico. 

Gulf Res. Rep. 3:3-104. 

Grimes, C. B. 1971. Thermal addition 

studies of the Crystal 'River steam 

electric stat'ion. Fla. Dep. Nat. 

Resour. Mar. Res. Lab. Prof. Pap. 

Ser. 11. 53 pp. 

Grimes, C. B., and J. A. Mountain. 

1971. Effects of thermal effluent 

upon marine fishes near the Crystal 

River steam electric station. Fla. 

Dep. Nat. Resour. Mar. Res. Lab. 

Prof. Pap. Ser. 17. 64 pp. 

Gunter, G. 1945. Studies on marine 

fishes of Texas. Publ. Inst. Mar. 

Sci. Univ. Tex. 1:l-90. 

Hastings, R. W. 1972. The origin 

and seasonality of the fish fauna on 

a new jetty in the northeastern Gulf 

of Mexico. Ph.D. Thesis. Florida 

State University, Tallahassee. 555 

PP. 

Hastings, R. W. , L. H. Ogren, and 

M. T. Mabry. 1976. Observations 
I Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of ~arc6.1987 { Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Gulf of Mexico)--Pi gfish 

S0?7? -to9 

REPORT EUMENTATION 1. 'cm'* % 

PAGE Biological Report 82(11.7 1)" 

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T. A~h.rts) 

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*U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report No. TR EL-82-4 

% R.CIMII(.~ ~~caman we. 

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L Padam Oqan~rallm Ram. me. 

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National Wetlands Research Center U.S. Anqy Corps of Engineers 

Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior P.O. Box 631 

Washington, DC. 20240 Vicksburg, MS 39180 

Species profiles are 1 i terature summaries of the taxonomy, morphology, range, 1 ife history, 

and environmental requirements of coastal aquatic species. They are designed to assist in 

environmental impact assessment. Pigfish are cbmmon inhabitants of warm gulf waters. 

Pigfish spawn during late winter and spring in open gulf waters. Young fish first appear 

in nearshore or estuarine environments in April to June. Juvenile pigfish may school with 

other species of fish (e.g. pinfish). Adult pigfish are found in higher salinity, coastal 

areas; they are also found in offshore, open shelf waters, as well as offshore reefs and 

platforms. Recreational fishermen frequently catch pigfish, especially in Florida gulf 

waters. Pigfish have little economic value; however, they are used for live bait and are 

considered to be a good quality food fish. Young pigfish are planktivorous, becoming 

carnivorous as they grow in length (first polychaete?, then shrimps). Pigfish have been ' taken in water temperatures ranging from 13.7 to 36 C, and in salinities of 0 to 38 ppt; 

however, they have been found in warmer water with salinities greater than about 15 ppt. 

Pigfish are found over vegetated sandy substrates, muddy bottoms, or hard substrates, such 

as reefs, jetties, and offshore platforms. Pigfish are prey of spotted seatrout and 

weakfish. 

I 

(a 

(GI 

1% TYP d nwm & panod -ma 

14. 

17. Dosumma AM*. r 0- 

Estuaries Temperature 

Nearshore gulf water Sal i ni ty 

Growth Di ssol ved oxygen 

Life cycles Fisheries 

Food habits 

b YmMl(i.nl0oorcCnd.d Tams 

Fi shes 

Pigfish 1 Orthopristis chrysoptera 

1 I -. 1 Unclassified I ~r ANS)-E39.lm OPTIONAL ~ORM 212 (~7n 

(lor-rl). NTlS-3% 

U. S. GOVERW~~PRIMTINGOFFICE: 1907-~81m140007 &oannurn O# commwrcm 

r coun n.cdrc~ 

21. No. of Pas-. 

vi + 11 

a Pricm 

1L A~.blablllty Slatmmmm 

Unl imi ted avai 1 abi 1 i ty 

19. Scu* class ITTIIS Rmwn) 

Unclassified 

m Scurlty Class tTh~s Caaw) 
TAKE PRIDE 

in America 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 

As the Nation's principal conservation agency. the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our .nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes 

fostering the wised use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, 

preserving theenvironmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, 

and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department aswrses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in 

the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for 

American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories undw 

U.S. administration.