PORT PHILLIP BAY


Spanish Mackerel 

Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepède, 1800)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: XV-XVIII; 15-20; 8-11 finlets
Anal fin spines/rays: 16-21; 7-12 finlets
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 21-24
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 220-240
Gill rakers: 2-8

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family level detail.
Powerful streamlined fishes with two dorsal fins that fold into grooves, deeply forked or lunate tails and a series of dorsal and anal finlets before the narrow tail base. They are fast-swimming open-water predators and are extremely commercially and recreationally important.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Scombridae
Genus:
Scomberomorus
Species:
commerson

General Description

Body fusiform, slender, compressed, dorsal fins close together, anal fin similar to and opposite second dorsal, tail lunate. Dark blue green above, silvery below with numerous thin wavy bands on sides. To 2.4 m.

Biology

This rare species in Victorian waters is an extremely popular game fish, and is fished commercially along the east coast.

Habitat

Pelagic species in coastal waters.

Open water

Distribution guide

Red Sea and Indo-west Pacific, including Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Mackerels and tunas

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

Midwater Surface

Max Size

2.4 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Spanish Mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 27 Jul 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6458

Text: creative commons cc by licence