Northern searobin

Prionotus carolinus, the northern sea robin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the sea robins. This fish is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.

Distribution

Prionotus carolinus is found in shallow seas of the western Atlantic where its range extends from Nova Scotia along the Atlantic coast of the United States into the Gulf of Mexico as far as the upper Florida Keys. They are found in estuaries to the edge of the continental shelf. They prefer the sandy bottoms of the waterbed, where they feed by kicking up sediment to find food, using their "legs".

Behaviour

Prionotus carolinus feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, including shrimp, crabs, amphipods, squid, bivalve mollusks, and segmented worms. It has also been known to bite readily on any bait, suggesting a fairly non-selective feeding habit.