Mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus) fish species and information / pictures of Mackerel scad - Decapterus macarellus

Mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Decapterus macarellus

Common Name
Mackerel scad

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 31-36; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 27 - 30. Body elongate, slender, and somewhat circular in cross section; posterior edge of upper jaw straight dorsally, moderately rounded and oblique ventrally; edge of shoulder girdle (cleithrum) with two small papillae, the lower one larger; dorsal and anal fins each followed by a separate finlet; black metallic blue green; belly is silvery white; dorsal edge of operculum with a small black mark (Ref. 55763). Bluish green above, silvery below; yellow-green caudal fin; small black opercular spot (Ref. 3197). No dark dots on lateral line; caudal fin reddish (Ref. 13442).

Classification

Classified By
Cuvier, 1833
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Perch-like fish (Perciformes)
Family
Jacks and pompanos (Carangidae)

Distribution

Region
Circumglobal. Western Atlantic
Distribution
Circumglobal. Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada and Bermuda to approximately Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Ref. 57756). Appears to be absent from the Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 9626). Eastern Atlantic: St. Helena, Ascension, Cape Verde, and Gulf of Guinea (Ref. 7097); Azores and Madeira (Ref. 4233). Indian Ocean: Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Seychelles, Mascarenes, South Africa, and Sri Lanka (Ref. 3287). Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California and Revillagigedo Island to Ecuador (Ref. 9283).
Range
45°N - 35°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate
Subtropical
Water Temperature From
Unknown °C
Water Temperature To
Unknown °C
Depth From - meters
0 m
Depth To - meters
400 m
Zone
pelagic-oceanic
Environment
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 0 - 400 m (Ref. 58302), usually 40 - 200 m (Ref. 3197)
Trophic Level
3.4 s.e. 0.45 Based on diet studies.
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
46.0 cm
Common Length
30.0 cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5005 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually
Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (23 of 100)
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.8)
Threat To Humans
  Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 26235)
IUCN Red List Status
  Not Evaluated