Range: Western Atlantic
Ocean, from North Carolina all the way south to Brazil,
including parts of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
Often inhabit bays, sounds, even deeper coral reefs.
Similar Species: Spotted
Drum, E. punctatus, and juvenile Cubbyu, E. umbrosus, are
sometimes misidentified as Jackknife Fish. The Spotted Drum
differs by having black fins with white spots and on their
caudal and second dorsal fins. Juvenile Spotted Drum lack
the white spots and therefore are more commonly confused
with the Jackknife-Fish but can be distinguished by a black
smudge on its nose. Juvenile Cubbyu have more stripes
running down their body and a shorter dorsal fin.
Identification: An
elongated dorsal fin with a black band that runs from the
tip of the dorsal fin to the end of the tail help identify
this exotic looking fish. There are also two other black
bands on the jackknife’s body; one on the head that runs
through the eye, and one that extends onto the pelvic fin.
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Juvenile Cubbyu |
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