Trachinotus falcatus
Permit
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Carangidae (Jacks)
Trachinotus
Trachinotus falcatus (Permit)
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
Deep bodied and compressed, with relatively short pectoral fins, no scutes on lateral line, and a relatively long anal fin base. Upper and lower profiles of body are about equally convex, and snout is very blunt. Eye possesses poorly developed adipose eyelid. Upper jaw projects slightly beyond lower jaw, and maxilla extends to below middle of eye. Jaw teeth are small, conical, and recurved in juveniles to 200 mm FL, but absent in larger specimens. Tongue has irregular patch of teeth. Gill rakers on first arch are lathlike and number 5 to 9 on upper limb and 11 to 15 on lower limb. Branchiostegal rays number 7. Specimens develop relatively shorter heads and deeper bodies with growth. Pectoral fin is acutely tipped and has 17 to 20 rays. First dorsal fin consists of five separate spines, with first spine reduced and often covered with flesh in specimens greater than 430 mm FL. Second dorsal fin has one spine and 17 to 21 rays, with anterior rays forming long, acute lobe extending to base of caudal fin in adults. Anal fin consists of two free spines followed by one spine and 16 to 19 rays, with anterior rays forming relatively long, acute lobe. Base of anal fin is about equal to base of second dorsal fin. Scales are small, cycloid, and partially embedded. Lateral line is wavy anteriorly and consists of about 135 scales. Caudal peduncle lacks upper and lower grooves. Vertebrae number 24: 10 pre-caudal and 14 caudal.
Color is bluish gray, with iridescent blue to bluish green sheen dorsally, and silvery laterally and ventrally.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Massachusetts and Bermuda to southern Brazil, including the northern and southern Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Coastal waters to about 36 m, associated with channels and depressions over sandy and mud bottoms and reefs. Juveniles form large schools during the summer in the surf zone along beaches.
Adults are pelagic and associated with channels and depressions over sandy and mud bottoms and reefs. Juveniles form large schools during the summer in the surf zone along beaches.
Biology
Food consists of mollusks, crabs, shrimps, and small ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size is 106 cm FL.
Adults frequently in channels or holes, over sandy flats, around reefs, and at times over mud bottoms; usually solitary or in small schools; smaller fish tolerate brackish water. Spawn offshore (Ref. 26938). During the summer, juveniles are found in large schools especially in the surf zone along sandy beaches. Adults feed on mollusks, crabs, shrimps, and small fishes; juveniles on benthic invertebrates. Excellent food fish (Ref. 9626). Highly esteemed game fish caught on light tackle (Ref. 26938).
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 (tm=3; tmax=23).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums.
References
Fields 1962
Randall 1968a
Randall 1996
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993a
Cervigón 1993b
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz 2002c
Randall, J.E. (1967) Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies. Stud. Trop. Oceanogr. Miami 5:665-847.
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Berry, F.H. and W.F. Smith-Vaniz (1978) Carangidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. West Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). volume 1. FAO, Rome. [var. pag.].
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.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Graham, R.T. and D.W. Castellanos (2005) Courtship and spawning behaviors of carangid species in Belize. Fish. Bull. 103:426-432.
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