Description

Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 15; Anal soft rays: 14 - 16. Mouth rather large, upper jaw reaching to hind margin of eye. Laminae of olfactory rosette 25 to 28. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Body naked behind the well developed corselet. Swim bladder absent. Vertebrae 17 or 18 precaudal plus 19 to 21 caudal, total 37 to 39. Anterior three quarters of first dorsal fin black.

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Scombriformes

Family: Scombridae

Genus: Orcynopsis

Species: Orcynopsis unicolor (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Adults are neritic, confined primarily to temperate waters, but juveniles may be encountered in waters of up to 30°C. Form small schools at the surface so that the first dorsal fin stands out of the water like that of sharks, also frequently associated with birds. Feed on small fishes, especially sardines, anchovies, jacks, mackerel, bogue and others. Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6769). Marketed canned or frozen.

Habitat

brackish