King gar (Scomberesox saurus scombroides)

Scientific name: Scomberesox saurus scombroides Richardson, 1843

King gar (Scomberesox saurus scombroides)

The King gar (Scomberesox saurus scombroides) is a brackish-water fish of the family Esocidae.

Biology

An epipelagic, gregarious species. Occurs in surface waters of the open sea; occasionally enters bays and inlets. Flesh is highly esteemed but large schools are too sporadic to be of commercial importance. Feeds on small planktonic organisms, preyed upon by yellowfin tuna, Cape gunnets, marine mammals. Migrates from spawning areas to cool temperate and plankton-rich waters.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Scomberesox saurus scombroides
Family
Esocidae (Pikes)
Order
Esociformes (Pikes and Mudminnows)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
50.0
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Atlantic, Indian and Pacific: generally circumglobal in temperate waters of the southern hemisphere. More common between 30?-40?S, but more northerly to 15?S near Africa and to near equator off Ecuador along South American west coast (particularly the young and juveniles). Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=3)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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