How does the snout shape of King Whiting (Menticirrhus littoralis) differ from M. merlangus?

It has a conical or rounded snout

A significant morphological difference separating the King Whiting, technically *Menticirrhus littoralis* and often called Sand Whiting, from the true whiting species like *M. merlangus* lies in the structure of the head, particularly the snout. The European Whiting, belonging to the Gadidae family, is characterized by a typically pointed snout. In stark contrast, the *Menticirrhus* species, which belongs to a different family grouping (implied to be Sciaenidae based on the context contrasting it with Gadidae), features a snout that is described as being slightly conical or rounded. This difference in head shape is explicitly noted as being sufficient alone to distinguish this common name namesake from the true whiting species, indicating fundamental divergence in skull and jaw morphology between the groups.