The Mackerel Scad – Decapterus macarellus is a species of fish belonging to the jack family, Carangidae. It is a common and commercially important fish found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world.
Description & Characteristics
The Mackerel Scad – Decapterus macarellus is a streamlined, fusiform fish with a slightly compressed body. It has a distinctive, deeply forked caudal fin, with a pointed snout and a large mouth. The species is characterized by its silvery-blue back, which is often marked with dark bands or spots. The belly is typically white. This fish can reach a maximum size of 46.0 cm in length.
Habitat and Occurrence
The Mackerel Scad – Decapterus macarellus is an inhabitant of pelagic waters, typically found in depths ranging from the surface to 400.0 meters. This species is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It is a common species in the epipelagic zone, the uppermost layer of the ocean that receives sunlight.
Taxonomy
The species Decapterus macarellus is classified within the animal kingdom under the phylum Chordata. It belongs to the Class: Teleostei, Order: Carangiformes, and Family: Carangidae. This family includes a diverse range of fish, including jacks, scads, and pompanos, all known for their streamlined bodies and predatory habits.
Feeding
The Mackerel Scad – Decapterus macarellus is a carnivorous fish with a diet consisting primarily of zooplankton. Its food sources include a variety of organisms, including copepods, crustaceans, daphnia salina, fish larvae, invertebrates, krill, mysids, shrimps, zoobenthos, and zooplankton. The Mackerel Scad – Decapterus macarellus plays an important role in the marine food web, consuming a wide range of organisms and serving as prey for larger fish.
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