Plagioscion montei
Plagioscion montei is a small freshwater drum native to the Amazon basin in Brazil. Rarely the main target of a fishing trip, it turns up in subsistence and artisanal catches alongside larger Sciaenids.
Its biology is shaped by Amazonian flood cycles, and most encounters happen incidentally rather than by design.
Scientific Name: Plagioscion montei
- Elongated, laterally compressed body typical of freshwater drums; silvery flanks with the oblique lateral-line pattern characteristic of the Plagioscion genus.
- Reaches roughly 34 cm in length and up to about 830 g — noticeably smaller than its close relative the South American silver croaker (P. squamosissimus).
- Distinguished from other Plagioscion species by meristic and morphological details; in hand, size alone separates it from the much larger silver croaker common in reservoirs.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the Amazon River basin in Brazil; also present in Peru — not introduced here, this is part of its natural range.
- A pelagic, open-water species in tropical freshwater environments, living in the water column rather than tight to the bottom.
- Associated with the main Amazon drainage and its tributaries; the species was described from material connected to Rio Grande do Norte research but its confirmed range is Amazonian.
Key Locations
- Amazon River basin, Brazil
Specific Spots
- Open mid-water and pelagic zones of larger Amazonian river channels, where it moves with seasonal flood pulses rather than holding to fixed structure.
- During high water, likely disperses into flooded forest margins (várzea) where food concentrates; retreats to main channels as waters recede.
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