Teleostei (teleosts) >
Scombriformes (Mackerels) >
Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) > Scombrinae
Etymology: Scomberomorus: Latin, scomber = mackerel + Greek, moros = silly, stupid (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Jordan & Starks.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - 60 m (Ref. 91172). Tropical; 33°N - 27°S, 121°W - 70°W (Ref. 168)
Eastern Central Pacific: La Jolla in southern California, USA to the Galapagos Islands and Paita, Peru. Recently reported from Antofagasta, Chile. Many authors have erroneously considered this species to be a synonym of Scomberomorus maculatus, or a subspecies of it.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 43.9, range 26 - 32 cm
Max length : 99.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 60.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 168); max. published weight: 8.2 kg (Ref. 4699)
Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 19; Anal soft rays: 16 - 21; Vertebrae: 46 - 49. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Body covered with small scales. Lateral line gradually curving down toward caudal peduncle. Intestine with 2 folds and 3 limbs. Swim bladder absent. Pelvic fins relatively long. Sides silvery with numerous round brownish (orange in life) spots, three rows above lateral line, one above. The first dorsal fin is black distally and white at the base. The second dorsal fin is tinged with yellowish and with black margin. The anal fin is white.
A schooling species believed to spawn close to the coast over most of its range. Adults occur near the surface of coastal waters to over bottom of the continental shelf (Ref. 11035). Adults feed on small fishes, particularly anchovies (Anchoa and Cetengraulis) and clupeids (Odontognathus and Opisthonema). The most abundant game fish along the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America. An excellent food fish enough to support a commercial fishery. Marketed fresh and frozen; also used for ceviche (Ref. 9987).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen, 1983. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 2. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of tunas, mackerels, bonitos and related species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(2):137 p. (Ref. 168)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 19.4 - 28.9, mean 25.8 °C (based on 80 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00617 (0.00405 - 0.00940), b=2.93 (2.81 - 3.05), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.5 ±0.8 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=2-4).
Prior r = 0.57, 95% CL = 0.37 - 0.85, Based on 1 data-limited stock assessment.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (51 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): High vulnerability (64 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 32.7 [14.5, 115.5] mg/100g; Iron = 0.827 [0.363, 2.008] mg/100g; Protein = 20.7 [19.4, 21.9] %; Omega3 = 0.253 [0.153, 0.419] g/100g; Selenium = 54.2 [19.9, 174.5] μg/100g; VitaminA = 23.4 [5.6, 102.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.651 [0.429, 1.035] mg/100g (wet weight);
