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Spanish mackerel

life science Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Spanish mackerels are a special group of saltwater fishes.

They belong to a tribe called Scomberomorini. This group is part of the larger mackerel family. This family includes tunas and bonitos. It also includes mackerels and butterfly kingfish. Scientists group them together because they share traits. These fishes are very important to the ocean.

These fishes are known as pelagic fish. This means they live in the open ocean. They are very fast swimmers. They are also predators, which means they hunt for food. Because they are strong, they fight hard when caught.

Most people catch them using hooks and lines. They move quickly through the deep water. This makes them very active hunters.

Many scientists have named these fish over a long time. For example, Gill named the genus Acanthocybium in 1862. The genus Scomberomorus was named by Lacepède in 1801. Other names came much later. Munro named the Atlantic Spanish mackerel in 1964. Collette and Russo named the Papuan seerfish in 1980. These names help us track the different types.

There are 21 different species in this tribe. These species are split into three different genera. One genus is Acanthocybium, which includes the wahoo. Another genus is Grammatorcynus, which includes the shark mackerel. The third genus is Scomberomorus. This group has many names like the king mackerel. It also includes the Japanese Spanish mackerel.

You might know other fish from the mackerel family. Tunas are a close relative of the Spanish mackerel. Bonitos are also part of this same family. Even the butterfly kingfish is a sister tribe. All these fish are bony fishes with fins. They live in the salty sea. Learning about them helps us see how the ocean works.

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