Seriola rivoliana
Almaco Jack
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Carangidae (Jacks)
Seriola
Seriola rivoliana (Almaco Jack)
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
Elongate and slightly compressed body, relatively short pectoral fins, no scutes on lateral line, dorsal and ventral caudal peduncle groove. Upper profile slightly more convex than lower. Snout moderately long and acutely pointed. Eye with poorly developed adipose eyelid. Maxilla extends to anterior margin of pupil. Supramaxilla very broad. Jaw teeth minute, in broad bands. Gill rakers on first arch lathlike, 24-29 in specimens 20-70 mm FL, 22-26 in specimens >200 mm FL. Branchiostegal rays 7. Pectoral fin acutely tipped, 21 rays. First dorsal fin: 7 spines, first spine reduced and covered in flesh in large specimens. Second dorsal fin: 1 spine, 27-33 rays, anterior rays forming long, acute lobe (19-22% FL). Anal fin: 2 free spines, 1 spine, 18-22 rays, anterior rays forming long, acute lobe. Free anal spines reduced and covered in flesh in specimens >750 mm FL. Scales small, cycloid. Lateral line slightly arched anteriorly, 122-143 scales. Vertebrae 24: 10 precaudal, 14 caudal.
Brown, olivaceous, or bluish green dorsally; silvery to whitish laterally and ventrally. Faint nuchal stripe may be present. Caudal fin dark with light, narrow posterior margin. Juveniles (20-180 mm FL) with 7 dark bars subdivided by light irregular bars; bars do not extend to medial fin membranes. Dark nuchal stripe well-developed in juveniles.
Distribution
Cape Cod and Bermuda to Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Pelagic in oceanic and outer neritic waters.
Biology
Ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size is 123 cm FL.
Adults are benthopelagic in outer reef slopes and offshore banks to 160 m or more. They form small groups (Ref. 9283, 26235, 58302). Young often seen around floating objects (Ref. 4887, 48635). They feed mainly on fishes, but also on invertebrates. Eggs are pelagic (Ref. 4233). Marketed fresh and salted or dried (Ref. 9283). May cause ciguatera poisoning, particularly in coral reef areas (Ref. 5217). Uncommon on East Indian reefs but occasionally found in cool upwelling areas of Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia (Ref. 90102).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-08-21. Resilience: Low (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Randall 1968a
Mather 1971
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Smith-Vaniz 1986a
Smith-Vaniz 2001b
Smith-Vaniz 2002c
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993a
Cervigón 1993b
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. (1986) Carangidae. p. 815-844. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. vol. 2.
Honebrink, R. (1990) Fishing in Hawaii: a student manual. Education Program, Division of Aquatic Resources, Honolulu, Hawaii. 79 p.
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. (1999) Carangidae. Jacks and scads (also trevallies, queenfishes, runners, amberjacks, pilotfishes, pampanos, etc.). p. 2659-2756. In K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). Rome, FAO. 2069-2790 p.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Barreiros, J.P., T. Morato, R.S. Santos and A.E. de Borba (2003) Interannual changes in the diet of the Almaco jack, Seriola rivoliana (Perciformes: Carangidae) from the Azores. Cybium 27(1):37-40.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
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