Leatherjacket (Oligoplites saurus) fish species and information / pictures of Leatherjacket - Oligoplites saurus

Leatherjacket (Oligoplites saurus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Oligoplites saurus

Common Name
Leatherjacket

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-21; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Body elongate and strongly compressed (depth from 3.5 to 4.4 times in standard length); posterior end of upper jaw reaching posterior rim of eye; upper jaw teeth small and villiform; lower branch of first gill arch with 14 to 18 gill rakers; scales small but visible, needle-shaped, embedded in the skin; back blue green; flanks and belly silvery to white, sometimes with yellow or golden highlights; pectoral and caudal fins yellowish (Ref. 55763); Dorsal fin has 5 nearly separate spines.

Classification

Classified By
Bloch & Schneider, 1801
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Perch-like fish (Perciformes)
Family
Jacks and pompanos (Carangidae)

Distribution

Region
Western Atlantic
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Maine, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Uruguay; throughout most of the West Indies (Ref. 3277). Absent from the Bahamas (Ref. 26938). Eastern Pacific: Baja California, Mexico to Ecuador (Ref. 9283). Two subspecies exists (Ref. 3277): Oligoplites saurus saurus (western Atlantic population) and Oligoplites saurus inornatus (eastern Pacific population).
Range
45°N - 35°S

Environment

Climate
Subtropical
Water Temperature From
Unknown °C
Water Temperature To
Unknown °C
Depth From - meters
Unknown m
Depth To - meters
Unknown m
Zone
reef-associated
Environment
Marine; brackish; reef-associated
Trophic Level
4.48 s.e. 0.80 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
True
Occurs in Fresh Water
False
Occurs on Reefs
True
Is kept in Aquariums
False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length
35.0 cm
Common Length
27.0 cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5312 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: occasionally
Vulnerability
Low to moderate vulnerability (25 of 100)
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Threat To Humans
  Venomous (Ref. 9283)
IUCN Red List Status
  Not Evaluated