Seriola zonata
Banded Rudderfish
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 zonata (Banded Rudderfish)
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 posterior margin of eye. Supramaxilla broad. Jaw teeth minute, in broad bands. Gill rakers on first arch lath-like, 20-25 in specimens <100 mm FL, 14-17 in specimens >400 mm FL. 7 branchiostegal rays. Pectoral fin acutely tipped, 18 rays. First dorsal fin: 8 spines, first spine reduced. Second dorsal fin: 1 spine, 33-39 rays, anterior rays forming moderately long, slightly acute lobe. Anal fin: 2 free spines, 1 spine, 19-21 rays, anterior rays forming moderately long, acute lobe. Scales small, cycloid. Lateral line slightly arched anteriorly. Vertebrae 24: 11 precaudal, 13 caudal.
Bluish green dorsally, silvery to whitish on sides and ventrally. Dark nuchal stripe may be present. Juveniles (20-300 mm FL) with 6 dark bars on body, bars 4-6 extending onto median fin membranes.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Greater Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Pelagic. Adults pelagic, juveniles associated with floating algae, jellyfishes, and large pelagic fishes.
Biology
Shrimps and ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size 800 mm FL.
Adults are pelagic or epibenthic and confined to coastal waters over the continental shelf. They feed on fishes and shrimps.
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: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariums.
References
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993a
Cervigón 1993b
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz 2002c
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez (1992) Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
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.
Gross, M.R. and R. Shine (1981) Parental care and mode of fertilization in ectothermic vertebrates. Evolution 35(4):775-793.
Smith-Vaniz, W.F., J.T. Williams, F. Pina Amargos, M. Curtis and J. Brown (2015) Seriola zonata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T16507442A16510407. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T16507442A16
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