Sciaena is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers.

[2] However, other authors have argued that the Pacific and Atlantic species are not closely related and that Sciaena sensu stricto is monospecific.

[5] Sciaena is thought to have been derived from the Greek skiaina, a name used for marine fishes which resembled perch and in modern usage means Sciaenids.

There is a deep incision between the spiny and soft-rayed portions of the dorsal fin, which is supported by 10 or 11 spines and between 21 and 24 soft rays.

[7] The largest species in the genus is the brown meagre (S. umbra) with a maximum published total length of 70 cm (28 in)[2] Sciaena drums are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean off western South America and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean,[2] in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Black Sea.