Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus)

Scientific name: Trachurus mediterraneus Steindachner, 1868

Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus)

The Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Carangidae.

Biology

Found usually near the bottom, at times also in surface waters; pelagic and migratory in large schools. Feed on other fishes especially sardines, anchovies, etc. and small crustaceans. Eggs are pelagic.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Trachurus mediterraneus
Family
Carangidae (Jacks and pompanos)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
60.0
Common length
30.0
Depth range
0–500 m (0–1640 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 500 m, usually 5 - 250 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay to Mauritania including the Mediterranean Sea. The subspecies Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus occurs in the Marmara and Black seas, southern and western parts of the Azov Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.22; tmax=12)

Sources

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

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