Description

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 20; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 15 - 17.

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Carangiformes

Family: Carangidae

Genus: Gnathanodon

Species: Gnathanodon speciosus (Forsskål, 1775)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Adults occur in deep lagoon and seaward reefs where they feed by rooting for crustaceans and fossorial invertebrates in the sand but they also feed on small fishes (Ref. 9710, 90102). Small juveniles live among the tentacles of jellyfish (Ref. 9710). Adults form schools and are also noted for their behavior to closely swim around sharks and other large fishes, and also follow divers (Ref. 10361). Juveniles particularly display this piloting behavior to gain protection from likely predators (Ref. 9710, 90102). Marketed fresh and salted or dried (Ref. 9283). Juveniles are used in the aquarium trade. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.

Habitat

associated