Cobia (Black Kingfish)

The cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a fish commonly known by several names, including black kingfish, black salmon, and lemonfish. This species inhabits subtropical waters around the world, although it is notably absent in the eastern 🌊 Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Plate. Cobia thrive at depths ranging from 1 to 1,200 meters (3 to 3,937 feet). They can reach up to 200 centimeters (79 inches) in length and weigh as much as 68 kilograms (150 pounds), though they are typically about 110 centimeters (43 inches) long. These fish can live up to 15 years.

Cobia are adaptable when it comes to habitat. They reside over mud, sand, and gravel bottoms, as well as coral reefs, rocky shores, and mangrove sloughs. They might also be found inshore around structures like pilings and buoys and sometimes appear in estuaries. Cobia usually form small groups and feed on a diet of crabs, fish, and squid.

In the western Atlantic, cobia gather in groups to spawn during the warm months. Their eggs and larvae drift on ocean currents as plankton. They are often caught using handlines or by trolling offshore, typically over the continental shelf. Despite their generally solitary nature, cobia are highly regarded as food fish, available fresh, smoked, or frozen. They are popular in sport fishing and are also commercially farmed.

Physically, cobia are known for their broad, flat heads and a first dorsal fin equipped with strong, standalone spines. Adults have a lunate to emarginate caudal fin, where the upper lobe is longer than the lower. Young cobia exhibit a rounder caudal fin with extended central rays. Their coloration includes a dark brown back and sides, accented by two narrow silvery bands and a yellowish belly.

As both a significant component of commercial fisheries and a prized gamefish, the cobia's name Rachycentron originates from Greek words meaning "spine" and "sting," nodding to their distinct spines.