Caranx | |
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The horse eye jack, Caranx latus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Carangiformes |
Family: | Carangidae |
Subfamily: | Caranginae |
Genus: | Caranx Lacépède, 1801 |
Type species | |
Caranx carangua Lacépède, 1801 | |
Species | |
See text for species | |
Synonyms | |
Caranx is a genus of tropical to subtropical marine fishes in the jack family Carangidae, commonly known as jacks, trevallies and kingfishes. They are moderate- to large-sized, deep-bodied fishes which are distinguished from other carangid genera by specific gill raker, fin ray and dentition characteristics. The genus is represented in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, inhabiting both inshore and offshore regions, ranging from estuaries and bays to deep reefs and offshore islands. All species are powerful predators, taking a variety of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods, while they in turn are prey to larger pelagic fishes and sharks. A number of fish in the genus have a reputation as powerful gamefish and are highly sought by anglers. They often make up high amounts of the catch in various fisheries, but are generally considered poor to fair table fishes.
The genus Caranx is one of 30 currently recognised genera of fish in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae, this family are part of the order Carangiformes. [2] The species has long been placed in the subfamily Caranginae (or tribe Carangini), with modern molecular and genetic studies indicating this subdivision is acceptable, and Caranx is well defined as a genus. [3] [4] Phylogenetically, the monotypic genus of Gnathanodon is most closely related to Caranx; and indeed its sole member was once classified under Caranx. [5]
Caranx was created by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1801 to accommodate a new species he had described, Caranx carangua (the crevalle jack), which was later found to be a junior synonym of Scomber hippos, which in turn was transferred to Caranx. [6] The early days of carangid taxonomy had over 100 'species' designated as members of the genus, most of which were synonyms, and a number of genera were created which were later synonymised with Caranx. Caranx took authority over these other genera names due to its prior description, rendering the rest as invalid junior synonyms. Today, after extensive reviews of the family, 18 species are considered valid by major taxonomic authorities Fishbase and ITIS, although many other species are unable to be properly validated due to poor descriptions. The fish in the genus are commonly referred to as jacks, trevallies or kingfishes. Like the genus Carangoides, the word Caranx is derived from the French carangue, used for some fishes of the Caribbean. [7]
The 18 currently recognized extant species in this genus are: [8]
Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
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Caranx bucculentus Alleyne & W. J. Macleay, 1877 | bluespotted trevally | tropical east Indian and west Pacific Oceans, ranging from Taiwan in the north to Australia in the south. | |
Caranx caballus Günther, 1868 | green jack | eastern Pacific Ocean along the American coastline from Santa Cruz Island off California in the north to Peru in the south, as well as a number of islands including the Galapagos and recently, Hawaii | |
Caranx caninus Günther, 1867 | Pacific crevalle jack | tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean from California in the north to Peru in the south | |
Caranx crysos (Mitchill, 1815) | blue runner | the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Brazil to Canada in the western Atlantic and from Angola to Great Britain including the Mediterranean in the east Atlantic | |
Caranx fischeri Smith-Vaniz & K. E. Carpenter, 2007 | longfin crevalle jack | subtropical waters of the east Atlantic Ocean, ranging along the African coast from Mauritania south at least to Moçamedes in southern Angola, with the species historically present in the Mediterranean Sea. | |
Caranx heberi (J. W. Bennett, 1830) | blacktip trevally | the tropical to subtropical Indian and West Pacific Oceans, ranging from South Africa in the west to Fiji, Japan and northern Australia in the east. | |
Caranx hippos (Linnaeus, 1766) | crevalle jack | distributed across the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Nova Scotia, Canada to Uruguay in the west Atlantic and Portugal to Angola in the east Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea. | |
Caranx ignobilis (Forsskål, 1775) | giant trevally | the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, with a range stretching from South Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east, including Japan in the north and Australia in the south | |
Caranx latus Agassiz, 1831 | horse-eye jack | the subtropical Atlantic ocean from Bermuda and the northern Gulf of Mexico and south to Rio de Janeiro. | |
Caranx lugubris Poey, 1860 | black jack | the tropical zones of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. | |
Caranx melampygus G. Cuvier, 1833 | bluefin trevally | the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, ranging from Eastern Africa in the west to Central America in the east, including Japan in the north and Australia in the south | |
Caranx papuensis Alleyne & W. J. Macleay, 1877 | brassy trevally | range extends from South Africa and Madagascar north along the East African coast | |
Caranx rhonchus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817 | false scad | the tropical and temperate waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Namibia in the south to Spain and throughout most of the Mediterranean in the north | |
Caranx ruber (Bloch, 1793) | bar jack | western Atlantic Ocean from New Jersey and Bermuda in the north to Venezuela and possibly Brazil in the south, with the largest population in the Gulf of Mexico and West Indies. | |
Caranx senegallus G. Cuvier, 1833 | Senegal jack | the tropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, ranging along the west African coast from Angola in the south to Mauritania in the north | |
Caranx sexfasciatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1825 | bigeye trevally | the Indian and Pacific Oceans | |
Caranx tille G. Cuvier, 1833 | tille trevally | western part of its range, the species distributed throughout South Africa and Madagascar waters north along the east African coast up to Tanzania, with an apparent break in its range from Tanzania to India. Its range continues from India east to South East Asia and the Indonesian Archipelago. The distribution extends south to northern Australia, north to Japan, and to Fiji in the east | |
Caranx vinctus D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1882 | cocinero | eastern Pacific Ocean, along the American coastline from Baja California in the north to Peru in the south, possibly including the Gulf of California | |
The first representative of Caranx found in the fossil record dates back to the mid-Eocene, a period when many modern Perciform lineages appeared. [1] Fossils mostly consist of otoliths, with the bony skeletal material rarely preserved. They are generally found in shallow marine or brackish water sedimentary deposits. A number of extinct species have been definitively identified and scientifically named, including:
The species in the genus Caranx are all moderately large to very large fishes, growing from around 50 cm in length to a known maximum length of 1.7 m and 80 kg in weight; a size which is only achieved by the giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis, the largest species of Caranx. [15] In their general body profile, they are similar to a number of other jack genera, having a deep, compressed body with a dorsal profile more convex than the ventral. [16] The dorsal fin is in two parts, the first consisting of 8 spines and the second of one spine and between 16 and 25 soft rays. The anal fin has one or two detached anterior spines, with 1 spine and between 14 and 19 soft rays. The caudal fin is strongly forked. All species have moderate to very strong scutes on the posterior section of their lateral lines. All members of Caranx are all generally silver to grey in colour, with shades of blue or green dorsally, while some species have coloured spots on their flanks. Fin colours range from hyaline to yellow, blue and black. [16]
The specific characteristics that distinguish the genus relate to specific anatomical details, with these being a gill raker count between 20 and 31 on the first gill arch, 2 to 4 canines anteriorly positioned in each jaw, and dorsal and anal rays which are never produced into filaments as seen in genera such as Alectis and Carangoides . [7]
Species from the genus Caranx are distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the world, inhabiting the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. [15] They are known from the coasts of all continents and islands (including remote offshore islands) within this range, and have a fairly even species distribution, with no particular region having unusually high amounts of Caranx species. [16]
Most species are coastal fish, and very few venture into waters further offshore than the continental shelf, and these species are generally moved by ocean currents. They inhabit a range of environments including sand flats, bays, lagoons, reefs, sea mounts and estuaries. Most species are demersal, or bottom dwelling, in nature, while others are pelagic, moving long distances in the upper water column. [7]
The level of biological information known about each species in Caranx is generally related to how important they are commercially. All species are predatory fish, taking smaller fish, crustaceans and cephalopods as prey. Most species form schools as juveniles, but generally become more solitary with age. Reproduction and growth has been studied in a number of species, with these characteristics varying greatly between species. [7] [16]
All species in Caranx are of at least minor importance to fisheries, but a number are much more so due to their abundance in certain regions. Most are considered to be gamefish, with some such as the giant trevally and bluefin trevally highly sought after by anglers. [16] They are generally considered poor to fair quality table fishes, and have had a number of ciguatera poisoning cases attributed to them. [17]
The yellow jack, also known as coolihoo, is a species of marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. It is one of only two representatives of its genus present in the Atlantic Ocean, inhabiting waters off the east coast of the Americas from Massachusetts in the north to Brazil in the south, as well as a number of offshore islands. The yellow jack can be distinguished from closely related species by the length of the jaw, as well as counts of the rays in the fins. It is a fairly large fish, growing to a recorded maximum length of 1 metre (39 in), and a weight of at least 14 kilograms (31 lb). Yellow jack inhabit reefs, moving either individually or in schools and are predatory fish which primarily take other small fish. Studies in the Caribbean suggest the species reaches sexual maturity between 23 and 32 centimetres, and spawns in offshore waters from February to October. Yellow jack are of minor economic importance, taken by both hook and net methods, and are considered to be fair table fish. They are often caught by boat anglers, although are overlooked for their larger relatives.
The bigeye trevally, also known as the bigeye jack, great trevally, six-banded trevally and dusky jack, is a species of widespread large marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. The bigeye trevally is distributed throughout the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, ranging from South Africa in the west to California and Ecuador in the east, including Australia to the south and Japan in the north. The bigeye trevally is best distinguished by its colouration, having a dark second dorsal fin with a white tip on the lobe, and also possessing a small dark spot on the operculum. Other more detailed anatomical features also set the species apart from other members of Caranx. The species is known to grow to a length of 120 cm and 18 kg.
The orange-spotted trevally, Carangoides bajad is a species of inshore marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The species is fairly common in tropical to subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, ranging from Madagascar in the west to Japan in the east, typically inhabiting inshore reefs. The species has characteristic orange-yellow spots on its sides, although counts of fin rays and scutes are needed to distinguish it from related species with similar colouring. Orange-spotted trevallies are powerful predators, taking a variety of small fish, nekton, and crustaceans, and reach sexual maturity around 25 cm long. It is a moderately large fish, reaching a maximum known length of 55 cm. The species is occasionally taken by fishermen throughout its range, and is generally considered to be bycatch. The exception to this is in the southern Persian Gulf, where it makes up a large proportion of the fishery.
The bludger, also known as the bludger trevally, nakedbreast trevally or Bleeker's jackfish, is a widespread species of large marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The bludger inhabits the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indo-west Pacific Ocean, distributed from South Africa in the west to Japan and New Caledonia in the east. It is a large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 90 cm, and is very similar to the yellowspotted trevally, Carangoides fulvoguttatus, but can be separated by the complete absence of breast scales and a number of other anatomical features. The species inhabits moderately deep offshore coral and rocky reefs, where it preys on small crustaceans and fish. The reproductive biology of the species is poorly known, but it appears to move to more tropical waters to spawn. The bludger is of intermediate importance to fisheries throughout its range, taken by hook and line and various netting methods. It is of some value to anglers also, considered a good gamefish, but generally regarded as poor eating due to its soft oily flesh, which is used as bait by many anglers. The name ‘bludger’ is said to either refer to the blunt head of the species, or the destination of the fish when caught by professional fishermen who treat the fish as discard.
Alectis is a genus of fish in the family Carangidae containing three extant species, all of which are large marine fishes. They are commonly known as threadfish, diamond trevallies or pompanos, although they have no close affiliation with the true pompano genus.
The cleftbelly trevally, also known as the cleftbelly kingfish, Kuweh trevally or thin crevalle, is a species of tropical marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The species inhabits coastal waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific region from South Africa in the west to Japan in the east, often found near the water's surface. The cleftbelly trevally is the only member of the genus Atropus and is distinguished by a number of anatomical characteristics, with a deep median groove in the belly giving the species its common name. It is not a large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 26.5 cm. Cleftbelly trevally are predatory fish, taking a variety of small crustaceans and fish. The species is of minor importance to fisheries throughout its range.
The horse-eye jack, also known as the big-eye jack, is a game fish and minor commercial fish in the family Carangidae. Its appearance is similar to that of the crevalle jack, although the horse-eye jack's head is not as blunt. The horse-eye jack is known to feed on smaller fish and on many invertebrates, such as shrimp and crab.
Alepes is a genus containing five extant species of tropical marine fishes in the jack family, Carangidae. They are commonly known as scads, a term applied to many genera of carangid fishes. Their body form, however, differs from these other scads by being much more ovate in shape, more similar to the larger jacks taken as game fish, although scads are generally much smaller. They are found in coastal waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific region.
Carangoides is a genus of tropical to subtropical marine fishes in the jack family, Carangidae. They are small- to large-sized, deep-bodied fish characterised by a certain gill raker and jaw morphology, often appearing very similar to jacks in the genus Caranx. They inhabit the subtropical and tropical regions of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, often occupying coastal areas, including reefs, bays, and estuaries, rarely venturing far offshore. They are all predatory fishes, taking a variety of smaller fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods as prey. The genus was first erected in 1851 by Pieter Bleeker for an unknown taxon and currently contains 20 species. Many make up significant proportions of various fisheries, although a number of ciguatera cases have been attributed to them.
The longfin trevally, also known as the longfin kingfish, longfin cavalla or armed trevally, is a species of inshore marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The species is common in tropical to subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, ranging from South Africa in the west to Japan in the east, typically inhabiting inshore reefs and bays. The species is easily distinguished by its elongate dorsal and anal fin lobes and filamentous dorsal rays, as well as its scaleless breast. Longfin trevally are pelagic predators, taking a variety of small fish, cephalopods and crustaceans, and reach sexual maturity at around 21 cm. The species has a maximum known length of 57 cm and weight of 3.5 kg. The longfin trevally has a very complex taxonomic history which is closely intertwined with another currently valid species, Carangoides ciliarius, which may yet prove to be synonymous. Longfin trevally are of minor importance to fisheries throughout their range and are considered good table fish, and are occasionally taken by anglers.
The coastal trevally, also known as the onion trevally, Japanese trevally or bluefin kingfish, is a species of inshore marine fish in the jack family Carangidae. The species is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and west Pacific Oceans, from South Africa in the west to Japan and New Caledonia in the east, reaching as far south as Australia. The species is found on deep coastal reefs, both in schools and as solitary individuals, where they prey on small midwater organisms including crustaceans, small fish and cephalopods. The species is taken as bycatch in a number of fisheries throughout its range by a number of fishing methods and is of little commercial value, but is considered to be a good table fish. A mistype in the original volume in which Eduard Rüppell named the species led to the combination Carangoides caeruleopinnatus, which has incorrectly spread through the literature.
The shadow trevally, also known as the shadow kingfish, twothread trevally or Aldabra trevally, is a species of inshore marine fish in the jack family Carangidae. The species is patchily distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and west Pacific Oceans, from South Africa in the west to Japan and Samoa in the east, reaching as far south as Indonesia and New Caledonia. It is most easily distinguished from similar species by as series of dark rectangular blotches under the second dorsal fin, giving a 'shadowed' appearance, from which its common name is derived. The shadow trevally is a reasonably large fish, growing to 85 cm in length and at least 2.6 kg in weight. It inhabits shallow coastal waters, including reefs, bays, and estuaries, where it takes small fish and benthic crustaceans as prey. Nothing is known of the species' ecology and reproductive biology. It is of little importance to fisheries, and is occasionally taken by bottom trawls and other artisanal fishing gear.
The threadfin jack or thread pompano is a species of coastal marine fish in the jack family Carangidae. The species inhabits the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean from Baja California in the north to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in the south. It is a moderately large fish, growing to 60 cm (24 in) and may be recognized by its filamentous dorsal and anal fin lobes. The threadfin jack inhabits both deeper coastal waters and inshore environments, including reefs and estuaries, where it preys on minute benthic and pelagic organisms, including small fishes and crustaceans. Very little is known about the ecology and reproductive cycle in the species. The threadfin jack is of importance to fisheries throughout its distribution, caught by hook-and-line and net methods and marketed fresh and salted, and is considered a very good table fish. The species was named Carangoides dorsalis by Theodore Gill 20 years before the name Caranx otrynter was introduced, but confusion with Vomer dorsalis led to the proposal of the new name to separate the two species.
The blue trevally, also known as the banded trevally, barred trevally, Ferdau's trevally or Forskaal's jackfish, is a common, widespread species of pelagic marine fish classified in the jack family, Carangidae. The blue trevally is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific and central Pacific regions, ranging from South Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east. It is a moderately large fish, growing to a recorded maximum length of 70 cm, with the number of rays in the second dorsal fin and the colouring serving as diagnostic features of the species. The species inhabits waters to depths of 60 m, generally inhabiting reefs, beaches, lagoons, and areas with sandy substrates. It is a predatory fish, taking other fish, prawns, crabs, and molluscs, and very little is known of the species' reproductive biology. The blue trevally is of varying importance to fisheries throughout its range, with some regions having high catches of the fish. It is considered to be a gamefish, and is sought after for its excellent eating qualities.
The duskyshoulder trevally or epaulet trevally, is a species of small inshore marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. It is distributed through the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans, ranging from eastern India to northern Australia and Taiwan. It is relatively small by carangid standards, reaching only 27 cm maximum length, and can be distinguished by the large, black blotches on its shoulders. The duskyshoulder trevally is an inshore fish living in waters less than 50 m deep, over sandy substrates in bays and on the continental shelf. It is a predatory fish, taking demersal fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods, with nothing known of its reproductive habits. It is of little value to fisheries, often taken as bycatch in prawn trawling operations.
The coachwhip trevally, also known as the oblong trevally or oblique-banded trevally, is a species of inshore marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. The coachwhip trevally is distributed through the Indo-west Pacific region, ranging from South Africa in the west to Fiji and Japan in the east. It is a moderately large fish, growing to a known maximum length of 46 cm and can be distinguished from similar species by an array of detailed morphological features including dentition, fin ray counts and scale patterns. The coachwhip trevally inhabits coastal waters throughout its range, known to prefer estuarine waters in a number of localities. Nothing is known of its diet or reproductive biology, and is of little importance to fisheries, occasionally taken as bycatch in trawl and hook and line fisheries.
The Pacific crevalle jack is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. The species is distributed through the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean from California in the north to Peru in the south, including several offshore islands. The species is best identified by its deep body and mostly unscaled breast, as well as other more detailed anatomical features. The species is known to grow to a maximum length of 101 cm and a weight of 19.7 kg. Disagreement on the status of the species has been significant in the scientific literature, with many claiming it to be conspecific with or subspecific to the Atlantic Caranx hippos. The most recent review of the crevalle jacks strongly concluded it to be a separate species based on the development of hyperostosis and fin colouring. It is predominantly a schooling inshore species, inhabiting sandy and rocky substrates, although larger individuals are occasionally found living pelagically to depths of 350 m. The Pacific crevalle jack is a fast-swimming predator, taking a variety of fish, crustaceans, and other small invertebrates. Spawning is thought to occur year-round, although peaks occur during November and May. The Pacific crevalle jack is an important species to commercial fisheries, with data available from Colima in Mexico indicating it accounts for up to 15% of the entire yearly catch. Pacific crevalle jack are highly rated gamefish, taken by both bait and a variety of lures, but are considered relatively poor quality food.
The tille trevally, also known as the tille kingfish, is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack family, Carangidae. The tille trevally is distributed through the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from South Africa in the west to Fiji, Japan and Australia in the east. The species is best distinguished by its rounded, strongly convex anterior profile, with other detailed anatomical features also useful. The tille trevally reaches a maximum length of 80 cm and a weight of 7.2 kg. It is predominantly an inshore species, inhabiting coastal reef and lagoon environments, although has been recorded on deep offshore seamounts. It is a predatory fish, taking various species of fish and crustaceans as prey, with little known of its reproductive cycle. It is of minor importance to fisheries throughout its range, taken by hook and line, gill nets and purse seines. The tille trevally is also considered a good game fish, and an excellent table fish. The species acquired its scientific and common names from a local name used by Pondicherry fishermen, koton tille, which Georges Cuvier then used when he named the species in 1833.
Chloroscombrus is a genus containing two species of tropical to temperate water marine fish in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae. Both members are commonly known as bumpers or bumperfish, with one species endemic to the Atlantic and the other to the eastern Pacific. They have a convex ventral profile compared to most other carangids, with small oblique mouths and low dorsal and anal fins. Phylogenetic studies have found they are most closely related to the jacks of the genus Hemicaranx, with these genera plus Selar, Selaroides and possibly Alepes, making up a clade within the Caranginae subfamily. They are predatory fish which live in both inshore and offshore environments ranging from estuaries to the edge of the continental shelf, and are of moderate importance to fisheries.
The yellowstripe scad, also known as the yellowstripe trevally, yellow-banded trevally, smooth-tailed trevally, slender-scaled trevally and slender trevally, is a species of small inshore fish in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae, and the only member of the genus Selaroides. The yellowstripe trevally is distributed throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region, ranging from the Persian Gulf in the west to Vanuatu and New Caledonia in the east. The species is distinguished by its prominent lateral yellow band, and differs from the scads of the genus Selar in having a smaller eye and different dentition. Although the yellowstripe scad reaches a maximum recorded length of 22 cm, it is normally encountered at sizes less than 15 cm. Phylogenetic studies indicate the yellowstripe scad is closely related to the scads of the genus Selar, although its exact placement in the family Carangidae is less well agreed upon.