Teleostei (teleosts) >
Scombriformes (Mackerels) >
Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) > Scombrinae
Etymology: Scomberomorus: Latin, scomber = mackerel + Greek, moros = silly, stupid (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range ? - 100 m (Ref. 6390). Tropical; 6°S - 38°S, 110°E - 157°E (Ref. 168)
Western Pacific: restricted to the northern coast of Australia, from the Abrolhos Islands region of Western Australia to Coffs Harbor and Kempsey in central New South Wales; also occurring in southern Papua New Guinea from Kerema to Port Moresby.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 61 - ? cm
Max length : 104 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6390); max. published weight: 10.2 kg (Ref. 3132)
Dorsal spines (total): 20 - 22; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 20; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 19; Vertebrae: 50 - 52. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Lateral line gradually curving down toward caudal peduncle. Intestine with 2 folds and 3 limbs. Swim bladder absent. Body covered with small scales. Sides with several poorly defined rows of round spots, larger than pupil but smaller than eye diameter. The inner surface of the pectoral fin is dark blue, the cheeks and belly silvery white, the anal fin and anal finlets light silvery gray, and the dorsal fin black, bright steely blue when fresh.
Found more commonly in offshore, open waters away from reefs and shoals (Ref. 30199). Form large schools which move close inshore along the coast of Queensland, commonly taken between December and April or May. Feed largely on fishes, particularly anchovies and sardines with smaller quantities of shrimps and squids. Common fork length ranges between 50 to 80 cm (Ref. 168). Sometimes confused with S. niphonius.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | 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)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 6390)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 22.5 - 28.6, mean 27.5 °C (based on 574 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00832 (0.00383 - 0.01808), b=3.03 (2.86 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.3 ±0.76 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.23-0.46; tm=1-2; tmax=7).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100).
