Mediterranean horse mackerel | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Carangiformes |
Family: | Carangidae |
Genus: | Trachurus |
Species: | T. mediterraneus |
Binomial name | |
Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner, 1868) | |
Subspecies | |
T. m. mediterraneus(Steindachner, 1868) Contents | |
Synonyms | |
Caranx trachurus mediterraneusSteindachner, 1868 |
The Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus), also known as the Black Sea horse mackerel, horse mackerel, Mediterranean scad, common scad, or simply scad, is a species of mackerel in the family Carangidae found in the eastern Atlantic from Bay of Biscay to Mauritania, including the Mediterranean Sea. It is a benthopelagic, subtropical, marine fish that can reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in length. In the countries near the Mediterranean and Black Seas, it makes up a significant portion of fish catch, 54% of fish caught in the latter. Despite overfishing in the 1980s, catch numbers have leveled out and it is listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The Mediterranean horse mackerel was first described in 1868 by Austrian ichthyologist, zoologist, and herpetologist Franz Steindachner, who gave it the name Caranx trachurus mediterraneus. It was also described two other times, by Y. G. Aleev in 1956 and J. Dardignac and A. Vincent. Its generic name comes from the Greek roots trachys meaning "rough" and oura meaning "tail". [2]
The Mediterranean horse mackerel has an elongated, compressed body (up to 60 cm (24 in) in length, common length 30 cm (12 in)) with a large head and projected lower jaw. The nostrils are small and close-set and the eyes are protected by a well-developed adipose eyelid. Its upper jaw, or maxilla, is also large and wide. Its body is a dusky color, blue to grey to black in color dorsally and on top of the head, while the lower two-thirds of the body is white to silver in color. Its caudal fin is yellow and it has a distinct black mark just posterior to the operculum. It has 36–41 gillrakers and the anal fin is preceded by two separate spines. [3]
The Mediterranean horse mackerel is found in subtropical waters throughout the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the Bay of Biscay to Mauritania, as well as the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean archipelago, the Black Sea, the Propontis or Sea of Marmara, and the southwestern Sea of Azov. Its latitudinal range extends from 49°N to 28°N and its longitudinal range extends from 13°W to 43°E. [2] The subspecies T. m. mediterraneus is found in the Mediterranean Sea, [4] while the T. m. ponticus subspecies, also called the Black Sea scad, is native to the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Sea of Azov. [2] T. m. ponticus is found in the territorial waters of every country bordering the Black Sea: Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. [5] Subspecies populations are not isolated and some limited migration between seas occurs. Hybrid offspring have been found in the wild. [4] [6] Its typical depth range is 5–250 m (16–820 ft), though it can be found as deep as 500 m (1,600 ft). It lives near the ocean floor, though it sometimes schools near the surface. [2]
A marine species that prefers brackish water and subtropical temperatures, the Mediterranean horse mackerel is oceandromous, that is it migrates within its native bodies of water. It feeds primarily on sardines, anchovies, and small crustaceans. [2] It shoals with other members of its genus, such as T. trachurus and T. picturatus . [3]
Like other mackerels, the Mediterranean horse mackerel's reproduction is oviparous. Its reproductive cycle is divided into three distinct stages, the prereproductive, reproductive, and postreproductive. The prereproductive stages occurs from January to April and the postreproductive stage occurs from September to December. During these periods, the gonads are much smaller than the reproductive stage. Mating occurs in the summer from May to August, during which testes and ovaries grow significantly in size. The ovaries become a dark orange color and eggs are visible on the surface. [7] Embryonic development occurs in 24–26 hours. [8] Eggs are pelagic [2] and 0.71–0.92 mm (0.028–0.036 in) in length. [9] Sexual maturity is reached at 2 years of age and around 16 cm (6.3 in) in length for both males and females. [7]
It is parasitized by the monogeneans Gastrocotyle trachuri , Pseudaxine trachuri , and Cemocotyle trachuri . [10]
The Mediterranean horse mackerel is an important resource in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea region. [6] It makes up 54% of catches in the Black Sea and 39% in the Sea of Marmara. In the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, it only totals 3–4% of annual catches. Fixed nets and seines are common methods used to catch Mediterranean horse mackerel. [1] Along with T. trachurus, it is one of two Trachurus species in the Mediterranean. Because it forms dense schools and lives in shallower waters, the Mediterranean horse mackerel is the more commonly caught species. [11] Along with Engraulis encrasicolus , it makes up 59% of seafood production in Turkey. [9]
Despite being regularly caught in mixed-species fisheries, the Mediterranean horse mackerel is listed as least concern by the IUCN. Its wide range buffers it from steep population declines, and none has been observed in recent years, with catches leveling out in the past decade. Overfishing in the 1980s led to a steep decline in catches in the Black and Marmara Seas, but has since become stable. Some conservation measures are in place in certain European countries. Minimum catch lengths are 15 cm (5.9 in) in the EU, 10 cm (3.9 in) in Ukraine, 12 cm (4.7 in) in Romania and Bulgaria, and 13 cm (5.1 in) in Turkey. [1]
The Atlantic horse mackerel, also known as the European horse mackerel or common scad, is a species of jack mackerel in the family Carangidae, which includes the jacks, pompanos and trevallies. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off Europe and Africa and into the south-eastern Indian Ocean. It is an important species in commercial fisheries and is listed as a Vulnerable species on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Pacific jack mackerel, also known as the Californian jack mackerel or simply jack mackerel, is an abundant species of pelagic marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. It is distributed along the western coast of North America, ranging from Alaska in the north to the Gulf of California in the south, inhabiting both offshore and inshore environments. The Pacific jack mackerel is a moderately large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 81 cm, although commonly seen below 55 cm. It is very similar in appearance to other members of its genus, Trachurus, especially T. murphyi, which was once thought to be a subspecies of T. symmetricus, and inhabits waters further south. Pacific jack mackerel travel in large schools, ranging up to 600 miles offshore and to depths of 400 m, generally moving through the upper part of the water column.
The greenback horse mackerel or greenback scad is a species of jack in the family Carangidae, found around western and southern Australia, and around New Zealand, from the surface to depths of 460 m. Its length is up to 64 cm.
The yellowtail horse mackerel, also known as yakka, is a jack in the family Carangidae found around Australia and New Zealand at depths to 500 m. Its length is up to 50 centimetres (20 in).
The shrimp scad, is a species of widespread tropical marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The shrimp scad is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical western Indian Ocean and areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from South Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east, including Japan and Australia to the north and south. The species is commonly found on inshore reefs and sandy substrates. It has the common body profile of a scad, and may be difficult to differentiate from others in the genus Alepes. It is one of the larger scads, growing to 40 cm, but often is encountered at much smaller sizes. The shrimp scad often forms large schools, and is carnivorous, consuming a variety of crustaceans and small fish. It is of moderate importance to fisheries throughout its range.
The razorbelly scad is a small species of tropical marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The species inhabits coastal waters in the Indo-Pacific, from Pakistan in the west to Japan and Australia in the east, often found over reefs. The razorbelly scad has a complex taxonomic history, and even recently has had its position in the genus Alepes challenged, but appears to be stable after a molecular phylogeny study supported its placement in Alepes. It is very similar to other scads in the same genus, but is readily identified by its unique teeth. Razorbelly scad are predatory fish, taking a variety of crustaceans and shrimps, and show a change in feeding intensity over the year. Reproduction and development have been extensively studied in India, where spawning occurs in a single event from January to September. The species is commonly taken in tropical fisheries, where it is marketed fresh or dried.
The yellowtail scad, is an abundant species of small inshore marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The species is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region from east Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east, extending north to Japan and south to Australia. The yellowtail scad is the only member of the monotypic genus Atule and is distinguished from similar species by a well-developed adipose eyelid and finlet-like extensions of the last rays of the dorsal and anal fins. It inhabits coastal areas such as bays and coral reefs, preying on small fishes and crustaceans. Spawning has been well studied in Hawaii, where fish enter bays to spawn, releasing up to 161,000 eggs each between March and October. The yellowtail scad is an important component of fisheries throughout its range, taken by a number of netting and hook-and-line methods. It is a prized food fish in some regions and is cooked or preserved by a variety of methods.
The mackerel scad, or speedo, is a species of fish of the family, Carangidae. While it can be considered gamefish, it is usually used as bait. It is popular for consumption in Hawaiʻi, the Philippines and the U.A.E. In Hawaiʻi, mackerel scad are called ʻopelu. In the Philippines they are called galunggong.
The false scad, also known as the spotfin scad, ten-finned horse mackerel and yellow horse mackerel, is a species of medium-sized marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. The false scad is distributed throughout 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. The species has an atypical body form compared to other species of Caranx, and can be distinguished from these on its elongate 'scad-like' body shape alone. Distinguishing the species from members of Decapterus and Trachurus is more difficult, requiring detailed anatomical analysis. The false scad is known to grow to a length of 60 cm and a weight of 1 kg. The species lives both pelagically and demersally in continental shelf waters, ranging from depths of 15 to 200 m. It is a predatory fish, taking small fishes, crustaceans including euphausiids and shrimps, and cephalopods as its main prey, with significant dietary shifts as it ages. The false scad reaches sexual maturity at 2 years of age, with spawning occurring between April and July in shallow inshore waters, where the juveniles remain. The species is of major importance to fisheries throughout its range, but particularly from Morocco to Senegal, with annual catches ranging from 500 to 19000 t. The species is caught using trawls, seine nets and gill nets and sold fresh, frozen or salted.
The torpedo scad, also known as the hardtail scad, finny scad, finletted mackerel scad or cordyla scad, is a species of moderately large marine fish classified in the jack and horse mackerel family, Carangidae. The torpedo scad is distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region, ranging from South Africa in the west to Tonga in the east, extending to Japan in the north and Australia in south. It is a schooling pelagic fish which occupies the surface layers of both inshore and offshore oceanic waters. The torpedo scad is easily identified by both its 'torpedo' shaped body and a series of detached finlets at the rear of both the dorsal and anal fins. The largest recorded individual was 80 cm long and weighed 4 kg, although it is more common at lengths less than 40 cm. It is a predatory species, taking a variety of fish, cephalopods and crustaceans by both active and filter feeding. There is a shift in diet as the species grow; however fish is the dominant prey in all size classes. Torpedo scad reach sexual maturity at 22 cm in females and 26.4 cm in males, with spawning occurring between March and July in India, where significant research into larval growth and morphometrics has been carried out.
The Chilean jack mackerel, sometimes called the Jurel, Inca scad or Peruvian jack mackerel, is a species of jack mackerel in the genus Trachurus of the family Carangidae. Since the 1970s, it has become one of the world's more important commercial fish species. High volumes have been harvested, but the fishery may now be in danger of collapsing.
The Cape horse mackerel is a mackerel-like species in the family Carangidae. It is a pelagic species of the south eastern Atlantic Ocean which is a target of fisheries, mainly as bycatch.
The Japanese jack mackerel, also known as the Japanese horse mackerel or Japanese scad, is a species named after its resemblance to mackerel but which is in the family Carangidae, the jacks, pompanos, trevallies and scads. Their maximum reported length is 50 cm (20 in) with a common length of 35 cm (14 in). They have a maximum reported weight of 0.66 kg (1.5 lb) and a maximum reported age of 12 years. They are found around the coast of Japan, except Okinawa Island, usually on sandy bottoms of 50–275 m (164–902 ft) deep. They feed mainly on small crustaceans such as copepods, as well as shrimp and small fish. They are similar to the yellowtail horse mackerel around New Zealand and Australia, apart from having more gill rakers and larger eyes.
The blue jack mackerel is a species of mackerel-like fish in the family Carangidae. Their maximum reported length is 60 cm, with a common length of 25 cm. They are coastal fish found at depths to 370 m off the Bay of Biscay to south Morocco and the western Mediterranean.
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.
Trachurus lathami is a species of fish in the family Carangidae and the genus Trachurus, the jack mackerels. Common names include rough scad and horse mackerel in English, as well as chinchard frappeur (French), chicharro garretón (Spanish), jurel, and carapau, garaçuma, surel, and xixarro. It is native to parts of the western Atlantic Ocean, including seas off the eastern coasts of North and South America and the Gulf of Mexico.
Lophius budegassa, the blackbellied angler or blackbellied monkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Lophiidae, the goosefishes, monkfishes and anglers. This species is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Pseudaxine trachuri is a species of monogenean, parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Gastrocotylidae.
Allogastrocotyle bivaginalis is a species of monogenean flatworm, which is parasitic on the gills of a marine fish. It belongs to the family Gastrocotylidae.
The Arabian scad is a species of jack mackerel from the family Carangidae which is found in the Western Indian Ocean.