Scientific Name
Rastrelliger kanagurta

Common Name
Indian mackerel

Biology
Adults occur in coastal bays, harbors and deep lagoons, usually in some turbid plankton-rich waters. Form schools. Feed on phytoplankton (diatoms) and small zooplankton (cladocerans, ostracods, larval polychaetes, etc.) (Ref. 9684). Small groups were seen eating eggs of Cheilio inermis straight after spawning (Ref. 48637). Adult individuals feed on macroplankton such as larval shrimps and fish. Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6769). Generally marketed fresh, frozen, canned, dried-salted, and smoked; also made into fish sauce (Ref. 9684).

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1816

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Mackerels, tunas, bonitos (Scombridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia, north to the Ryukyu Islands and China, south to Australia, Melanesia and Samoa. Entered the eastern Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal.

Range

34°N - 24°S, 30°E - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

17 °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

20 m

Depth To - meters

90 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 20 - 90 m (Ref. 12260)

Trophic Level

3.19000005722046 s.e. 0.38 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

35.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: occasionally

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (18 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.29-1.9; tm=1; tmax=4)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated