Blacktip trevally
Encyclopedia
The blacktip trevally, Caranx heberi (also known as the blacktip kingfish and yellowtail kingfish), is a species
of large marine
fish classified in the jack family Carangidae
. The blacktip trevally is distributed throughout the tropical to subtropical Indian
and West Pacific Ocean
s, ranging from South Africa
in the west to Fiji
, Japan
and northern Australia
in the east. It inhabits coastal waters throughout its range, preferring moderately deep clear waters over rocky and coral reef
s. The blacktip trevally is easily distinguished by its yellow fins and a dark upper caudal fin lobe which gives the species its common name
, as well as a host of other anatomical features. The species is known to reach a maximum size of 1 m. It is a benthopelagic
predator, commonly forming small shoal
s where it takes a variety of fishes, cephalopod
s and crustacean
s as prey. Little is known of reproduction in the species, and spawning
is assumed to take place in more tropical regions of its range, with juveniles known to inhabit bays and large estuaries. Blacktip trevally are often caught using hook and line and various nets in commercial fisheries although don't make up a large part of the market. They are also popular with anglers
due to their fighting ability and decent table qualities
.
, one of a number of groups known as the jacks or trevallies. Caranx itself is part of the larger jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae
, a group of percoid
fishes in the order Perciformes
.
As currently accepted, the species was first scientifically described by Edward Turner Bennett
in 1830 based on the holotype
specimen taken from the south coast of Sri Lanka
. He named this new species Scomber heberi, placing it in the mackerel genus
which at that time was a common genus for placing carangid fishes. The origin of the specific epithet is unclear, with it possibly named after someone or relate to the German word Heber, meaning "lob". With the creation of the genus Caranx, the species was transferred there, where it has remained. There is some confusion over a species described by Peter Forsskål
in 1775 under the name Scomber sansun and later transferred to Caranx sansun
. This species is still listed as valid by some authorities, although a 1968 review of the taxon
by J.L.B. Smith
failed to find the holotype and suggested a new name with holotype be introduced to replace it; Caranx williamsi. This name was sunk into C. heberi by William Smith-Vaniz in a major review, indicating C. sansun also should be sunk. Despite this, the name remains valid amongst some authorities. A second, later independent description of the fish by Georges Cuvier
produced the name Caranx sem, which became common throughout the literature. Probable synonymy with C. heberi was recognized by Henry Fowler in 1905
and is currently recognized as such due to formal synonymisation by John Randall.
in weight. It is similar to most other jacks in having a compressed, oblong
body, with the dorsal profile much more convex than the ventral profile, particularly anteriorly. The dorsal fin
is in two distinct sections; the first consisting of 8 spine and the second of 1 spine and 19 to 21 soft rays. The anal fin consists of 2 anteriorly detached spines followed by 1 spine and 15 to 17 soft rays.
The ventral fin consists of 1 spine and 5 soft rays, while the caudal fin is strongly forked. The species lateral line
is moderately arched anteriorly, with 50 to 60 scales in this section, while the straight section contains 0 to 4 scales
and 30 to 40 strong scute
s. The pattern of breast scales is variable, ranging from fully scaled to naked ventrally. The species has moderately well developed adipose eyelids, while its dentition consists of an outer row of widely-spaced canine
s and an inner band of villiform teeth in the upper jaw
and a row of widely-spaced conical teeth on the lower jaw. The blacktip trevally has 24 to 27 gill raker
s and 24 vertebrae.
The blacktip trevally's colouration is distinctive, with the upper body being dark bronze to yellow green while the lower body fades to silvery white below. The caudal fin is bright to olive yellow, with the top half normally black to dark, giving the species its common name. Other fins range from bright yellow to dusky with little yellow at all. The species also lacks the dark spot on the opercular
margin that many related species possess.
and West Pacific Oceans
.
In the western part of its range, the species ranges from South Africa
and Madagascar
north along the east Africa
n coast up to the Persian Gulf
and Red Sea
. Its distribution continues eastward through India
, South East Asia and the Indonesian Archipelago
. Its range extends south to northern Australia
, north to Japan
, and to Fiji
in the east.
The blacktip trevally is predominantly an inshore species, frequenting clean open coastal waters as an adult, with juveniles also found in large bays and estuaries. Adults are often found over moderately deep rocky reef
s and pinnacles as well as open sandy areas.
The blacktip trevally travels in both small shoal
s and individually throughout its habitat, with juveniles more commonly found in shoals. They appear to be migratory
, with South Africa recording influxes of the species in summer, while in India they arrive after the monsoon
s and continue their inhabitance through the cold months. The species is a benthopelagic predator, taking its prey from the sea floor and higher in the water column. Prey items include a variety of fish, cephalopod
s, and crustaceans including shrimp
s, mantis shrimp
s, crab
s and crayfish
. Reproduction in the species is poorly understood, although observations indicate it spawns
in the more tropical regions of its range, with sexual maturity
reached at 50 cm.
The blacktip trevally is of minor importance to commercial fisheries throughout its range, taken by hook and line and various netting methods, from where it is sold fresh, salted or dried at market
. The species is considered a good gamefish and can be taken by fish or squid baits as well as various patterns of lure and fly. When taken from the water, the fish often 'grunt' in similar manner to a young pig. They are considered an excellent table fish despite being known to be a host to parasitic infection in some regions.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of large marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
fish classified in the jack family Carangidae
Carangidae
Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. The blacktip trevally is distributed throughout the tropical to subtropical Indian
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and West Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
s, ranging from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in the west to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and northern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the east. It inhabits coastal waters throughout its range, preferring moderately deep clear waters over rocky and coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s. The blacktip trevally is easily distinguished by its yellow fins and a dark upper caudal fin lobe which gives the species its common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
, as well as a host of other anatomical features. The species is known to reach a maximum size of 1 m. It is a benthopelagic
Benthic zone
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean or a lake, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. Organisms living in this zone are called benthos. They generally live in close relationship with the substrate bottom; many such...
predator, commonly forming small shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
s where it takes a variety of fishes, cephalopod
Cephalopod
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...
s and crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s as prey. Little is known of reproduction in the species, and spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
is assumed to take place in more tropical regions of its range, with juveniles known to inhabit bays and large estuaries. Blacktip trevally are often caught using hook and line and various nets in commercial fisheries although don't make up a large part of the market. They are also popular with anglers
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
due to their fighting ability and decent table qualities
Fish (food)
Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.-Terminology:...
.
Taxonomy and naming
The blacktip trevally is classified within the genus CaranxCaranx
Caranx is a genus of tropical to subtropical marine fish in the jack family Carangidae, commonly known as jacks, trevallies and kingfishes. They are moderate to large sized, deep bodied fishes which are distinguished from other carangid genera by specific gill raker, fin ray and dentition...
, one of a number of groups known as the jacks or trevallies. Caranx itself is part of the larger jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae
Carangidae
Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, a group of percoid
Percoidei
Percoidei is one of eighteen suborders of bony fish in the order Perciformes. Many commercially harvested fish species are contained in this suborder, including the snappers, jacks, whitings, groupers, bass, perches and porgies.-Divisions:...
fishes in the order Perciformes
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
.
As currently accepted, the species was first scientifically described by Edward Turner Bennett
Edward Turner Bennett
Edward Turner Bennett was an English zoologist and writer. He was the elder brother of the botanist John Joseph Bennett. Bennett was born at Hackney and practiced as a surgeon, but his chief pursuit was always zoology...
in 1830 based on the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen taken from the south coast of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He named this new species Scomber heberi, placing it in the mackerel genus
Scomber
Scomber is a genus of ocean-dwelling mackerels in the family Scombridae.-Species:FishBase lists four species:* Blue mackerel, Scomber australasicus Cuvier, 1832.* Atlantic Chub Mackerel, Scomber colias Gmelin, 1789....
which at that time was a common genus for placing carangid fishes. The origin of the specific epithet is unclear, with it possibly named after someone or relate to the German word Heber, meaning "lob". With the creation of the genus Caranx, the species was transferred there, where it has remained. There is some confusion over a species described by Peter Forsskål
Peter Forsskål
Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
in 1775 under the name Scomber sansun and later transferred to Caranx sansun
Caranx sansun
Caranx sansun is a dubious species of marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. Initially named as Scomber sansun, the validity of the species has been questioned by a number of authors, with the most recent review of Indo-Pacific carangids indicating it is probably a synonym of the...
. This species is still listed as valid by some authorities, although a 1968 review of the taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
by J.L.B. Smith
James Leonard Brierley Smith
James Leonard Brierley Smith, known as J.L.B. Smith was a South African ichthyologist, organic chemist and university professor. He was the first to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought long extinct.-Early life:Born in Graaff Reinet, Smith was the elder of two sons of...
failed to find the holotype and suggested a new name with holotype be introduced to replace it; Caranx williamsi. This name was sunk into C. heberi by William Smith-Vaniz in a major review, indicating C. sansun also should be sunk. Despite this, the name remains valid amongst some authorities. A second, later independent description of the fish by Georges Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
produced the name Caranx sem, which became common throughout the literature. Probable synonymy with C. heberi was recognized by Henry Fowler in 1905
and is currently recognized as such due to formal synonymisation by John Randall.
Description
The blacktip trevally is a large fish, growing to a maximum recorded size of 1 m in length and 12.5 kgKilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
in weight. It is similar to most other jacks in having a compressed, oblong
Rectangle
In Euclidean plane geometry, a rectangle is any quadrilateral with four right angles. The term "oblong" is occasionally used to refer to a non-square rectangle...
body, with the dorsal profile much more convex than the ventral profile, particularly anteriorly. The dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
is in two distinct sections; the first consisting of 8 spine and the second of 1 spine and 19 to 21 soft rays. The anal fin consists of 2 anteriorly detached spines followed by 1 spine and 15 to 17 soft rays.
The ventral fin consists of 1 spine and 5 soft rays, while the caudal fin is strongly forked. The species lateral line
Lateral line
The lateral line is a sense organ in aquatic organisms , used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Lateral lines are usually visible as faint lines running lengthwise down each side, from the vicinity of the gill covers to the base of the tail...
is moderately arched anteriorly, with 50 to 60 scales in this section, while the straight section contains 0 to 4 scales
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
and 30 to 40 strong scute
Scute
A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:...
s. The pattern of breast scales is variable, ranging from fully scaled to naked ventrally. The species has moderately well developed adipose eyelids, while its dentition consists of an outer row of widely-spaced canine
Canine tooth
In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth...
s and an inner band of villiform teeth in the upper jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
and a row of widely-spaced conical teeth on the lower jaw. The blacktip trevally has 24 to 27 gill raker
Gill raker
Gill rakers in fish are bony or cartilaginous processes that project from the branchial arch and are involved with filter feeding tiny prey. They are not to be confused with the gill filaments that compose the bony part of the gill. Rakers are usually present in two rows, projecting from both the...
s and 24 vertebrae.
The blacktip trevally's colouration is distinctive, with the upper body being dark bronze to yellow green while the lower body fades to silvery white below. The caudal fin is bright to olive yellow, with the top half normally black to dark, giving the species its common name. Other fins range from bright yellow to dusky with little yellow at all. The species also lacks the dark spot on the opercular
Operculum (fish)
The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the gills. In most fish, the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between the head and the body....
margin that many related species possess.
Distribution and habitat
The blacktip trevally is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the IndianIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and West Pacific Oceans
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
In the western part of its range, the species ranges from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
north along the east Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
n coast up to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. Its distribution continues eastward through India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, South East Asia and the Indonesian Archipelago
Malay Archipelago
The Malay Archipelago refers to the archipelago between mainland Southeastern Asia and Australia. The name was derived from the anachronistic concept of a Malay race....
. Its range extends south to northern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, north to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in the east.
The blacktip trevally is predominantly an inshore species, frequenting clean open coastal waters as an adult, with juveniles also found in large bays and estuaries. Adults are often found over moderately deep rocky reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s and pinnacles as well as open sandy areas.
Biology and fishery
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
s and individually throughout its habitat, with juveniles more commonly found in shoals. They appear to be migratory
Fish migration
Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousands of kilometres...
, with South Africa recording influxes of the species in summer, while in India they arrive after the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
s and continue their inhabitance through the cold months. The species is a benthopelagic predator, taking its prey from the sea floor and higher in the water column. Prey items include a variety of fish, cephalopod
Cephalopod
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...
s, and crustaceans including shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
s, mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, the members of the order Stomatopoda. They are neither shrimp nor mantids, but receive their name purely from the physical resemblance to both the terrestrial praying mantis and the shrimp. They may reach in length, although exceptional cases of...
s, crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s and crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
. Reproduction in the species is poorly understood, although observations indicate it spawns
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
in the more tropical regions of its range, with sexual maturity
Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can reproduce. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct...
reached at 50 cm.
The blacktip trevally is of minor importance to commercial fisheries throughout its range, taken by hook and line and various netting methods, from where it is sold fresh, salted or dried at market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
. The species is considered a good gamefish and can be taken by fish or squid baits as well as various patterns of lure and fly. When taken from the water, the fish often 'grunt' in similar manner to a young pig. They are considered an excellent table fish despite being known to be a host to parasitic infection in some regions.