Black Snook, Robalo, Robalo Prieto, Centropomus nigrescens.

The Black Snook has an overall silver appearance with a strong prominent black lateral line. It has an unmistakable shovel-shaped head with a large mouth and projecting lower jaw. The eyes are far apart.

The Black Snook has two well separated dorsal fins and all of the fins are dark. Characteristically the first long dorsal spine is shorter than the second dorsal spine, and the second and third short anal spines are of equal length. The Black Snook is very easily confused with the White Snook, Centropomus viridis (narrow between the eyes, third dorsal spine longer than fourth dorsal spine).

The Black Snook is a member of the Centropomidae Family which includes shovel-nosed fish found inshore in estuaries, mangroves, and river mouths. They are characterized by elongated compressed bodies, an upper head profile that is concave, large mouth with a set of fine teeth, and a projecting lower jaw.

They have short anal fin bases with three strong spines, a deeply forked caudal fin, and two dorsal fins separated by a gap. A strong prominent lateral line extends into the tail. They have large rough scales. They feed on invertebrates and fish. There are six species of snook found in the Eastern Pacific, of which the Black Snook is the largest, and they are a focus of commercial fishermen due to the food value.

The Black Snook reaches a maximum length of 5 feet and is found in the first 75 feet of the water column. In Mexico, it is found around the tip of the Baja California peninsula, from Magdalena Bay to La Paz, and along the coast of the mainland from Guaymas to Guatemala; it is absent from around the oceanic islands.