Scomberomorus maculatus
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
There are no photos available for this taxon yet.
Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Scombridae (Mackerels)
Scomberomorus
Scomberomorus maculatus (Spanish 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.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
When citing, please reference the original source rather than this page.
Learn more about our species accounts.
Characters
Relatively large jaw teeth, closely spaced dorsal fins, and small spots on side of body. Snout is pointed and considerably longer than eye diameter but shorter than remainder of head. Maxilla extends below posterior margin of eye and is exposed when mouth is closed. 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 10 to 16, with 1 to 4 on upper limb and 8 to 13 on lower limb. Pectoral fin is moderately short and has 20 to 23 rays. First dorsal fin originates above pectoral fin base, is slightly elevated anteriorly, and has 17 to 19 spines. Second dorsal fin has 17 to 20 (usually 18 or 19) rays and is followed by 7 to 9 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 17 to 20 rays, and is followed by 7 to 10 finlets. Caudal peduncle has a long lateral keel between upper and lower keels. Caudal fin is falciform. Body is completely covered with small scales, and corset of scales is absent. Lateral line is single and gradually slopes downward toward caudal peduncle. Gas bladder is absent. Vertebrae number 51 to 53: 21 or 22 precaudal and 30 to 31 caudal.
Color is silvery dorsally and silvery to whitish on sides and ventrally, with three rows of round to elliptical spots on upper side.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Bermuda to southern Florida and the entire Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat Associations
Neritic waters
Biology
Food consists mostly of small fishes.
Maximum known size is 77 cm FL.
In the western Gulf of Mexico spawning takes place between May and September.
Migrates in large schools over great distances along the shore. Larvae are found in surface waters between 19.6° and 29.8°C with salinities of 28.3 to 37.4 ppt. Feeds mainly on small fishes (clupeoids and anchovies), few quantities of penaeoid shrimps and cephalopods. Casting, live-bait fishing, jigging, and drift fishing are also employed in capturing this species. Aerial spotting is sometimes used in locating the fish. Marketed fresh, frozen or smoked; eaten pan-fried, broiled and baked.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2022-11-10. Resilience: Medium (K=0.2-0.38; tm=2-3; Fec=280,000).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish.
References
Hoese and Moore 1977
Manooch et al. 1978
McEachran et al. 1980
Collette and Russo 1984
Robins and Ray 1986
Scott and Scott 1988
Boschung 1992
Banford et al. 1999
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Collette 2002g
Hoese and Moore 1998
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.
Collette, B.B. and J.L. Russo (1984) Morphology, systematics, and biology of the Spanish mackerels (Scomberomorus, Scombridae). Fish. Bull. 82(4):545-692.
Gines, H. and F. Cervigón (1967) Exploracion pesquera en las costas de Guyana y Surinam año 1967. Estacíon de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita. Fundacíon La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, no. 29.
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.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Comments On Scomberomorus maculatus