Description: A large scombrid fish. Body very elongate, fusiform and only slightly compressed laterally. Pointed snout, about as long as the rest of the head. Two dorsal fins, the first longer than the second. Has 9 finlets after the second dorsal and anal fin. Two small flaps between the pelvic fins (interpelvic processes). Median keel between two small keels on each side of the caudal peduncle. Caudal fin deeply forked. Iridescent bluish-green on the back, with numerous dark vertical bars on the sides, extending below the lateral line.
Global Distribution: Circumglobal in tropical and subtropical waters, including the Mediterranean. View Map
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Size: Maximum length 250 cm (total length); common length 170 cm (fork length); maximum published weight 83.0 kg.
Behavioural ecology: Frequently solitary or forming small loose aggregations rather than compact schools.
Population structure & migrations:
ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Depth range: FishBase: 0 - 12 m.
Habitat: Oceanic, epipelagic. Swims near the surface.
Feeding habits: Feeds on fishes and squids.
Trophic level: FishBase: 4.4
FISHERIES
Commercial interest: Commercial species; also gamefish.
Conservation status: Global: Least concern.
Europe: Least concern.
Nutritional information & food safety: Health warning: reports of ciguatera poisoning in some areas.
REFERENCES
Carpenter K.E., ed. (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. FAO, Rome, pp. 1375-2127.
González J., Hernández C., Marrero P., Rapp E. (2000). Peces de Canarias: GuÃa Submarina (5th edition). Francisco Lemus Editor, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canarias, Spain, 235 pp.
Hureau J.-C., ed. (1984-1985). Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO. Accessed through: Marine Species Identification Portal. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://species-identification.org (2014).
IUCN (2014). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org
Nieto A., Ralph G.M., Comeros-Raynal M.T., Kemp J., GarcÃa Criado M., Allen D.J., Dulvy N.K., Walls R.H.L., Russell B., Pollard D., GarcÃa S., Craig M., Collette B.B., Pollom R., Biscoito M., Labbish Chao N., Abella A., Afonso P., Ãlvarez H., Carpenter K.E., Clò S., Cook R., Costa M.J., Delgado J., Dureuil M., Ellis J.R., Farrell E.D., Fernandes P., Florin A-B., Fordham S., Fowle, S., Gil de Sola L., Gil Herrera J., Goodpaster A., Harvey M., Heessen H., Herler J., Jung A., Karmovskaya E., Keskin C., Knudsen S.W., Kobyliansky S., KovaÄić M., Lawson J.M., Lorance P., McCully Phillips S., Munroe T., Nedreaas K., Nielsen J., Papaconstantinou C., Polidoro B., Pollock C.M., Rijnsdorp A.D., Sayer C., Scott J., Serena F., Smith-Vaniz W.F., Soldo A., Stump E., Williams J.T. (2015). Europen Red List of Marine Fishes. IUCN and European Union, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 90 pp.
