Chub, Bermuda (lat. Kyphosus sectatrix)
A member of the Kyphosidae family of sea chub, the
Bermuda chub is a commonly encountered species,
although not one that is aggressively sought by anglers. It
is often caught in clear-water harbors and around reefs.
Most individuals are reportedly good table fare, but their
flesh spoils quickly and should be eaten soon after capture.
OTHER NAMES:
Bermuda sea chub;
French: calicagère blanche;
Spanish: chopa blanca.
The Bermuda chub has an ovate profile,
with a short head and a small mouth. A yellow stripe, bordered
in white, runs from the edge of the mouth to the
edge of the gill cover. The body is compressed and generally
steel or blue-gray with muted yellowish stripes. The fins
are dusky, the tail forked, and the scales are usually edged
with blue. It may occasionally have white spots or blotches.
A less common, very similar, but larger-growing relative is
the yellow chub.
Bermuda chub commonly weigh 11⁄2 to 2 pounds
and measure 10 to 12 inches in length. Reported maximum
lengths and weights vary widely; the all-tackle world
record is a 13-pound, 4-ounce Florida fish.
The Bermuda chub mainly
feeds on benthic algae and also on small crabs and mollusks.
Because of its small mouth, it nibbles food and is
regarded by anglers as an accomplished bait stealer.
In the western
Atlantic, the Bermuda
chub occurs from Massachusetts
and Bermuda south
to Brazil, including the Gulf
of Mexico and the
Caribbean.
Like
most other sea chub, the
Bermuda chub is a schooling
species that moves
quickly and is often abundant
in clear water around
tropical reefs, harbors, and
small ships.