The colour varies from greyish-silver to darkish with longitudinal dark lines along the back and the higher portion of the sides, these often extend on to the head,[4] becoming obscure as the fish matures.

[1] Umbrina canariensis feeds on small shrimps, worms and other benthic invertebrates.

[4] The transparent, buoyant eggs are scattered and left unguarded in open water.

The combined catch of croakers, U. canariensis and Pseudotolithus typus reported from Angola in 2001 was approximately 9000 tons.

[2] In South Africa it is considered to be of low importance and is a bycatch in the trawl fisheries for sole and hake as a result of its low monetary value which means that landings are infrequently reported in catch returns and stock assessment of U. canariensis in the two areas where it is most abundant indicate that the species is not overexploited.