U.S. [Narragansett Indian.] The weak-fish or sea-salmon, Cynoscion regalis († Otolithus regalis, † Labrus Squeteague), of the eastern United States. Spotted squeteague (see quot. 1884).
1838. in D. H. Storer, Rep. Fishes Mass. (1839), 33. The squeteague, or weak fish, have disappeared since the return of the blue fish, who are their avowed enemy.
1848. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., 328. Squeteague, or Squetee,… a very common fish in the waters of Long Island Sound and adjacent bays.
1871. in Good, Amer. Fishes (1888), 113. Scup have disappeared from Narragansett Bay, but Squeteague have taken their place.
1884. Goode, Nat. Hist. Aquat. Anim., 365. The Spotted Squeteague, Cynoscion maculatum. This fish is … in every respect very unlike a trout, and the name ‘Spotted Squeteague’ has been proposed for it.
