Lepidocybium flavobrunneum
Escolar
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Gempylidae (Snake Mackerels)
Lepidocybium
Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Escolar)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
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Characters
Moderately slender, dorsally and ventrally symmetrical, and slightly compressed, with a very low first dorsal fin, a prominent keel, and two supplementary keels on caudal peduncle. Head is evenly convex from tip of snout to dorsal fin origin. Anterior naris is about midway between tip of snout and anterior margin of eye, and posterior naris is midway between anterior naris and anterior margin of eye. Lower jaw projects slightly beyond upper jaw. Maxilla is exposed when mouth is closed. Upper jaw has two relatively small fangs on side of symphysis, followed by a row of small canine teeth. Lower jaw lacks fangs on side of symphysis but has a row of small caninelike teeth. Vomer and palatine have rows of small teeth. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 27%–28%, body depth 23%–24%. Pectoral fin is about one-third of head length and has 15 to 17 rays. First dorsal fin originates anterior to pectoral fin base and has eight or nine short spines. Second dorsal fin is distinctly separated from first dorsal fin, has 16 to 18 rays, and is followed by four to six finlets. Pelvic fin is well developed, consists of one spine and 5 rays, and is located under pectoral fin base. Anal fin originates posterior to origin of second dorsal fin, has one or two spines and 12 to 14 rays, and is followed by four to six finlets. Caudal fin is falcate. Lateral line is single and strongly sinuous. Body is covered with rather small scales, each of which is surrounded by a network of tubules bearing pores. Vertebrae number 31: 16 precaudal and 15 caudal.
Color is uniformly dark brown, including fins. Specimens become increasingly dark with growth.
Distribution
In the western Atlantic it occurs from the Scotian Shelf and Georges Bank to Suriname, including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Bahamas.
Habitat Associations
Tropical to warm temperate seas over continental and insular slopes below 200 m
Biology
Food consists of squids and ray-finned fishes, such as trachipterids, bramids, coryphaenids, and scombrids.
Maximum known size is 150 cm SL.
Occurs mainly over the continental slope, down to 200 m and more (Ref. 6181). Migrates upward at night (Ref. 6181). Feeds on squid, crustaceans and a wide variety of fishes (Ref. 6181). Flesh oily and may have purgative properties (Ref. 9784). Sometimes caught by tuna long-liners (Ref. 26938). Marketed frozen and as fish cakes in Japan (Ref. 9302).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-08-22. Resilience: Low (Assuming tm=4-5).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish.
References
Schultz and Springer 1956
Bartlett and Backus 1962
Scott and Scott 1988
Boschung 1992
Nakamura and Parin 1993
Nakamura and Parin 2001b
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Parin et al. 2002a
Nakamura, I. and N.V. Parin (1993) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 15. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the snake mackerels, snoeks, escolars, gemfishes, sackfishes, domine, oilfish, cutlassfishes,. scabbardfishes, hairtails, and frostfishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(15):136 p.
Shcherbachev, Y.N. (1987) Preliminary list of thalassobathyal fishes of the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean. J. Ichthyol. 27(2):37-46.
Patzner, R.A. (2008) Reproductive strategies of fish. pp. 311-350. In Rocha, M.J., A. Arukwe and B.G. Kapoor (eds). Fish reproduction: cytology, biology and ecology. Science Publisher, Inc. Oxford. 631 p.
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