Scomberomorus cavalla
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Scombridae (Mackerels)
Scomberomorus
Scomberomorus cavalla (King Mackerel)
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.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Relatively large jaw teeth, closely spaced dorsal fins, and lateral line strongly curved ventrally. Snout is pointed and considerably longer than eye diameter but shorter than remainder of head. Maxilla extends below posterior margin of eye. Jaw teeth are triangular, compressed, and arranged in a single series. Both palatine and vomer have teeth arranged in patches. Gill rakers on first arch are of moderate size and number 1 to 3 on upper limb and 6 to 10 on lower limb. Pectoral fin is moderately short and has 21 or 23 rays. First dorsal fin originates above pectoral fin base, is slightly elevated anteriorly, and has 12 to 18 spines. Second dorsal fin has 15 to 18 rays and is followed by 7 to 10 finlets. Interpelvic process is bifid and small. Anal fin is similar to second dorsal fin in shape and size, originates slightly posterior to second dorsal fin origin, has 16 to 20 (usually 18 or 19) rays, and is followed by 7 to 10 finlets. Caudal peduncle has a long lateral keel between upper and lower keels. Caudal fin is semilunate. Body is completely covered with small scales, and corselet of scales is absent. Lateral line is single and curves abruptly downward below second dorsal fin. Gas bladder is absent. Vertebrae number 41 to 43: 16 or 17 precaudal and 24 to 26 caudal.
Color is dark bluish dorsally and silvery to whitish on sides and ventrally. Juveniles are patterned with small, round dark spots that appear gold or yellow in life.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Bermuda to southern Brazil, including the entire Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Neritic waters. Depth range not specified.
Biology
Food consists of penaeid shrimps, squids, and ray-finned fishes, such as clupeids (Opisthonema, Harengula, and Brevoortia).
Maximum known size is 173 cm FL.
In the western Gulf of Mexico spawning takes place between May and September. Larvae are found in water between 26.3°C and 31.0°C.
Often found in outer reef areas. Larvae are encountered in surface waters of 26.3° to 31°C and 26.9 to 35 ppt. Feeds primarily on fishes with smaller quantities of penaeid shrimps and squids. Large schools have been found to migrate over considerable distances along the Atlantic US coast, water temperature permitting. It is an important species for recreational, commercial, and artisanal fisheries throughout its range. Most of the catch is processed into steaks or sold fresh, or sometimes canned and salted. Also prepared smoked and frozen (Ref. 9987). Potentially ciguatoxic in certain areas (Ref. 9710). Sometimes called "Kingfish" (Ref. 13442).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2022-10-18. Resilience: Medium (K=0.07-0.15; tm=2; tmax=14; Fec=70,000).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Beaumariage 1973
Hoese and Moore 1977, 1998
Manooch et al. 1978
Collette and Russo 1984
McEachran et al. 1980
Fujii 1983g
Robins et al. 1986
Scott and Scott 1988
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Collette 2002g
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.
Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994) Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
Collette, B.B. and J.L. Russo (1984) Morphology, systematics, and biology of the Spanish mackerels (Scomberomorus, Scombridae). Fish. Bull. 82(4):545-692.
Willoughby, S., J.D. Neilson and C. Taylor (1999) The depth distribution of exploited reef fish populations off the south and west coasts of Barbados. Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish Inst. 45:57-68.
Bowman, R.E., C.E. Stillwell, W.L. Michaels and M.D. Grosslein (2000) Food of northwest Atlantic fishes and two common species of squid. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE 155, 138 p.
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