Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish - Macaw Pets store

Sea Robin
Northern Sea Robin
Prionotus carolinus
Distribution. At least 19
species occur in the Atlantic
and a few in the Pacific off
the coasts of the United
States and Canada.
184 Sea Robin
Sea robins are mostly tropical and subtropical fish of the
Triglidae family, characterized by split pectoral fins that consist
of stiff separate rays on the lower half and broad, soft,
winglike rays on the upper half. The upper rays are not as
large as in the similar-looking flying gurnard but are used
for the same purpose—swimming. The lower rays are used
to find food by sifting through debris and turning over
rocks.
Sea robins also use their pelvic and pectoral fins to “walk”
across the bottom as they search for fish, shrimp, squid,
clams, and crabs to satisfy their insatiable appetites. They
are often brightly colored, are capable of making loud
noises by vibrating muscles attached to their air bladders,
and inhabit moderately deep waters. These fish spawn
throughout the summer, their eggs float on the surface,
and the young grow quickly during the first year.
One of the more well-known fish of this group is the
northern sea robin (Prionotus carolinus), which occurs from
Nova Scotia to northern South America but is uncommon
north of Massachusetts. It averages 12 inches in length and
may reach a length of 18 inches. A black, mottled fish with
an olive-brown or gray background, the northern sea robin
has a large head that is covered with bony plates and spines
and has a distinct black chin. It is a bottom-dweller, moving
close to shore during the summer and to deeper water in
the winter.
Other Atlantic species are the striped sea robin (P.
evolans), which is distinguished by a few dark bands on its
sides, and the leopard sea robin (P. scitulus), an almost footlong
species with dark blotches, common in the Gulf of
Mexico and the southern Atlantic.