Big Eye Scad

Coastal waters throughout its range; rather important commercially in Indian waters. Caught on hooks and lines, with beach seines, trawls, purse seines and traps. The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 69 149 t. The countries with the largest catches were Philippines (65 776 t) and Venezuela (3 765 t). Marketed fresh and dried salted.

Body elongate and moderately compressed, with lower profile slightly more convex than upper. Eye very large, shorter than snout length and with a well developed adipose eyelid completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centred on pupil; upper jaw moderately broad at end and extending to below anterior margin of pupil; teeth small and recurved, upper jaw with a narrow band, tapering posteriorly; lower jaw with an irregular single row. Gillrakers (including rudiments) 9 to 12 upper, 27 to 31 lower on first gill arch. Shoulder girdle (cleithrum) margin with a deep furrow, a large papilla immediately above it and a smaller papilla near upper edge. Dorsal fin with 8 spines and I + 24-27 soft rays. Anal fin with 2 spines and I + 21-23 soft rays; dorsal and anal fins without a detached terminal finlet. Pectoral fins shorter than head. Scales moderately small and cycloid (smooth to touch), covering body except for a small area behind pectoral fins, scutes relatively small, chord of the curved part of lateral line contained 0.7 to 1.2 times in straight part (to caudal fin base); scales in curved part with 48 to 56 anterior scales; 0 to 4 scutes in curved part; straight part with 0 to 11 anterior scales and 29 to 42 scutes; total scales and scutes in lateral line (excluding caudal scales) 84 to 94. Colour in fresh fish, upper third of body and top of head metallic blue or bluish-green; tip of snout dusky or blackish; lower two thirds of body and head silvery or whitish; a narrow, yellowish stripe may be present from edge of opercle to upper part of caudal peduncle; blackish areas above and below pupil with a reddish area sometimes present; a small elongated, blackish opercular spot on edge near upper margin. First dorsal fin dusky on margins with rest of fin clear; second dorsal fin dusky over most of fin with dorsal lobe blackish; anal fin clear or slightly dusky along base; caudal fin dusky with tip of upper lobe dark; pectoral fins clear or slightly dusky near base and with a yellowish tint sometimes present; pelvic fins clear.

Worldwide in tropical and subtropical marine waters. Eastern Atlantic waters from Cape Verde Islands to southern Angola; in the Western Atlantic from Canso (Nova Scotia) to Rio de janeiro (Brazil); also present in Bermuda. Broadly distributed throughout the Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Central Pacific Ocean.

Length not well established, but unverified report of 60 cm standard length; documented record of 27 cm standard length; common to about 24 cm fork length and 0.23 kg.

Found small to large schools,mainly inshore or in shallow water; at times over shallow reefs but may reach depths of 170 m.Prefers clean, clear insular waters but occasionally in turbid waters. Mainly nocturnal,it feeds primarily on planktonic or benthic invertebrates, including shrimps, crabs and foraminifers; also on fish.

Description: Dorsal very blue-green or metallic blue, ventral silver or white; stripe (may be absent) yellow from gill opening upper end to caudal peduncle upper part; opercle edge with black spot. Body elongate and compressed moderately; profile, dorsal less convex than ventral. Eyes very large, shorter than snout length; adipose eyelid very well developed, covers the eye almost entirely. LL curved part equal or slightly shorter than straight part 0.7 to 1.3 times; LL scales 48-56 on curved part, 0-11 on straight part; LL scutes 29 to 42, small. Cleithrum with furrow, deep, ventral; large papilla immediately about furrow, small papilla near dorsal edge. Pectoral fins falcate; anal fins first two spines detached. (Ref. 2334, 55763, 90102)

Anisakis Disease (juvenile). Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 27; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 21 - 23

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf (Ref. 7300). Prefers clear oceanic waters around islands to neritic waters (Ref. 5217). Occasionally in turbid waters (Ref. 9283). Mainly nocturnal. Feeds on small shrimps, benthic invertebrates, and forams when inshore, and zooplankton and fish larvae when offshore. Travels in compact groups of hundreds of thousands of fish.

Adults prefer clear oceanic waters around islands to neritic waters (Ref. 5217). Occasionally in turbid waters (Ref. 9283). Pelagic (Ref. 58302). Individuals travel in compact groups of hundreds of thousands of fish. Mainly nocturnal in habit, they disperse at night to feed on small shrimps, benthic invertebrates, and forams when inshore, and zooplankton and fish larvae when offshore (Ref. 9283, 90102). Marketed fresh and salted or dried (Ref. 9283). Reported to reach 70 cm TL (Ref. 48635).

fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually; price category: very high; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species

廣泛分布於世界各熱帶及亞熱帶海域。台灣各沿岸一年四季均可見其蹤跡，是台灣鰺科產量最多之魚種。

一般漁法以一支釣、圍網、拖網、定置網、流刺網捕獲。以油炸食之較宜。

體呈長圓形。眼大，脂性眼瞼發達，僅於瞳孔中央留下一長細縫。齒尖細，上頜前方二列或呈齒帶，後方具一列；下頜一列；鋤骨、腭骨和舌面均具齒。肩帶下角具一深凹，深凹之上方具一大形乳突，另有一小形乳突於其上方。此為本屬之特徵。胸部完全具鱗。側線直走部始於第二背鰭第10-12鰭條之下方；側線直走部上稜鱗弱。無離鰭。體背及體側上部1/3區域呈藍綠色，體側2/3以下呈銀白色。體側中部具一黃色縱帶，死後不顯。鰓蓋後緣上方有一黑斑。背鰭暗灰色；尾鰭具黑緣；其餘各鰭淡色或淡黃色。

通常聚集成小群或一大群，棲息於沿岸淺礁石區、外洋群島周圍水域或混濁的礁砂底質水域。一般群游於表層，但亦可發現其棲息於水深達170公尺處。主要以浮游性或底棲性無脊椎動物為食。

The bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) is a species of oceanic fish found in tropical regions around the globe. Other common names include purse-eyed scad, goggle-eyed scad, akule, chicharro, charrito ojón, jacks, matang baka, mushimas and coulirou. The bigeye scad is fished commercially, both for human consumption and for bait.

Generally found near the coast or in shallow waters (Ref. 9283). May also be encountered over shallow reefs but may reach depths of 170 m. Prefers clean, clear insular waters (Ref. 9626) but occasionally in turbid waters (Ref. 9283). Mainly nocturnal, it feeds on small shrimp, benthic invertebrates, forams when inshore, and zooplankton and fish larvae when offshore. Travels in compact groups of hundreds of thousands of fish. Juveniles up to 13 cm caught with light tackle (Ref. 4887). Marketed fresh (Ref. 9626).

Feeds on small shrimps, benthic invertebrates, and forams when inshore, and zooplankton and fish larvae when offshore

Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada and Bermuda to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; throughout the Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea

nektonic

Prefers clear oceanic waters around islands to neritic waters.