Gulf Kingfish

Coastal Habitats

Animals of the Nearshore Waters 

Gulf Kingfish

Menticirrhus littoralis

Gulf kingfish, also called Gulf whiting, live in small schools in the surf along the Texas coast. Young kingfish sometimes move into the shallows in coastal bays. Like their relatives the southern kingfish, Gulf kingfish feed on bottom-dwelling animals such as worms, clams and other shellfish.

Animals of the Nearshore Waters

Learn more by clicking on the links below.

Brown Tube Sponge

Red Boring Sponge

Red-Orange Encrusting Sponge

Tree Oyster

Ivory Bush Coral

Cup Coral

Pearly Red Encrusting Bryozoan

Black Drum

Crevalle Jack

Florida Pompano

Sand Seatrout

Tarpon

Gulf Kingfish

Southern Kingfish

Spot

Pigfish

Select a coastal habitat:

• Salt Marshes
• Bays and Estuaries
• Jetties
• Nearshore Waters
• Gulf Waters