Appearance
The upper body is grayish and the underside silvery, with faint dark streaks along the sides. The chin lacks a barbel but carries pores. A very strong second anal spine and details of the gill-cover edge help distinguish it from other coastal drums.
Coastal Range
The distribution extends through the Caribbean and south toward Brazil. Adults occur over muddy and sandy bottoms in marine and brackish settings. Salinity and bottom material are useful context because several drum species can occur in the same estuary.
Food and Size
Fishes and crustaceans are recorded prey. The reference upper length is 41.5 centimeters total length. A separately published mass of 714 grams describes a documented reference value, but it is not treated here as proof of the largest possible Ground Drummer.
Look Beneath the Chin
The absence of a chin barbel, together with chin pores and the strong anal spine, helps refine identification among coastal drums.
All Lakes With Ground Drummer
Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Ground Drummer records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.