Spot plays a key role in the trophic dynamics of the Chesapeake Bay, as a predator of benthic invertebrates and as a prey species for striped bass , bluefish , weakfish , shark and flounder . Like croaker , spot are opportunistic bottom feeders that consume polychaetes , crustaceans and mollusks, as well as plant and animal detritus. Although both spot and croaker have similar diet and habitat, they are able to coexist without directly competing with one another. Other distinguishing characteristics include an absence of teeth from the lower jaw, a long pectoral fin extending beyond the tip of the pelvic fin, and a strongly notched but continuous dorsal fin.
Spot swim in coastal and estuarine waters from the Gulf of Maine to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico.
The area of greatest abundance occurs from the Chesapeake Bay to South Carolina. They have been collected from the mainstem and all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and have one of the most extensive distributions of any marine-estuarine fish species in the Bay. They are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures and have been collected in waters from 34-98 degrees. Life Cycle Adult spot migrate into estuarine areas in the spring but are not as widely distributed as juvenile spot. They are generally found in the Chesapeake Bay from April through October.