Editing Common snook (section)

==Distribution and habitat==
''C. undecimalis'' is widespread throughout the [[tropical]] waters of the western [[Atlantic Ocean]], from the coast of the [[North Carolina]] to [[Brazil]] including the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and the [[Caribbean Sea]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eol.org/pages/205157/details#distribution|title=Common Snook - Centropomus undecimalis - Details - Encyclopedia of Life|work=eol.org|access-date=24 June 2016}}</ref>
Snook likely originated in Central America, and changes in the Earth's climate brought the snook to Florida. During a great warming trend after the Ice Age, snook moved northward along the Mexico shoreline. They followed the perimeter of the Gulf of Mexico, along the west and east coasts of Florida.<ref>{{cite web|title = Costa Rica Snook - Fish For Snook|url = http://www.fishforsnook.com/costa-rica-snook/|website = Fish For Snook|access-date = 2016-02-09|language = en-US|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160124101530/http://www.fishforsnook.com/costa-rica-snook/|archive-date = 2016-01-24|url-status = dead}}</ref>

Massive snook are found in Central America, although they seem to look a little different because of the weather and water quality, but they are the same. No restrictions exist in most of Central America on the size or quantity of snook one can keep, consequently many locals have been keeping and killing these large snook for quite a while.<ref>{{cite web|title = Costa Rica Snook - Fish For Snook|url = http://www.fishforsnook.com/costa-rica-snook/|website = Fish For Snook|access-date = 2016-02-09|language = en-US|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160124101530/http://www.fishforsnook.com/costa-rica-snook/|archive-date = 2016-01-24|url-status = dead}}</ref> Occurring in shallow coastal waters (up to {{convert|20|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in depth), [[estuary|estuaries]] and [[lagoon]]s, the fish often enter [[fresh water]]. They are [[carnivorous]], with a diet dominated by smaller fishes, and [[crustacean]]s such as [[shrimp]], and occasionally [[crab]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eol.org/pages/205157/details#trophic_strategy|title=Common Snook - Centropomus undecimalis - Details - Encyclopedia of Life|work=eol.org|access-date=24 June 2016}}</ref>

Due to their limited cold tolerance, snook have been physiologically restricted from inhabiting temperate climates. In Florida, northern limits in their geographic range have historically been Tarpon Springs along the Gulf Coast and Cape Canaveral on the east coast.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission |title=A Sketch of the Common Snook in Florida |url=https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fish/snook/sketch-common-snook/}}</ref>  Over the past 15 years, snook have extended their range as far north as the Suwannee River Estuary (~29°N), where an exponential increase in their population has occurred.<ref name="Exploring Impacts of River Discharg">{{cite journal |last1=Sinnickson |first1=Dylan |last2=Chagaris |first2=David |last3=Allen |first3=Micheal |title=Exploring Impacts of River Discharge on Forage Fish and Predators Using Ecopath With Ecosim |journal=Frontiers in Marine Science |date=2021 |volume=8 |doi=10.3389/fmars.2021.689950|doi-access=free }}</ref>  Warmer winter temperatures resulting from climate change has been suggested as a likely cause.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Purtlebaugh |first1=C.H. |last2=Martin |first2=C.W. |last3=Allen |first3=M.S. |title=Poleward expansion of common snook Centropomus undecimalis in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and future research needs |journal=PLOS ONE |year=2020 |volume=15 |issue=6 |pages=e0234083 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0234083|pmid=32569296 |pmc=7307751 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1534083P |doi-access=free }}</ref>  There may be potential food-web effects, particularly for sea trout (''Cynoscion'' species), related to the snook colonization.<ref name="Exploring Impacts of River Discharg"/>