What is "menticirrhus americanus"

Whiting \Whit"ing\, n. [From White.]

1. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. A common European food fish ( Melangus vulgaris) of the Codfish family; -- called also fittin.

   2. A North American fish ( Merlucius vulgaris) allied to the preceding; -- called also silver hake.

   3. Any one of several species of North American marine sci[ae]noid food fishes belonging to genus Menticirrhus, especially Menticirrhus Americanus, found from Maryland to Brazil, and Menticirrhus littoralis, common from Virginia to Texas; -- called also silver whiting, and surf whiting. Note: Various other fishes are locally called whiting, as the kingfish

      1. , the sailor's choice

      2. , the Pacific tomcod, and certain species of lake whitefishes.

2. Chalk prepared in an impalpable powder by pulverizing and repeated washing, used as a pigment, as an ingredient in putty, for cleaning silver, etc.

   Whiting pollack. (Zo["o]l.) Same as Pollack.

   Whiting pout (Zo["o]l.), the bib, 2.

Menticirrhus americanus, the southern kingfish, southern kingcroaker, the king whiting, the Carolina whiting, or the sea mullet, is a species of marine fish in the family Sciaenidae. It lives in shallow coastal waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean.