Alepes melanoptera

Osteichthyes Carangidae Genus Alepes Alepes melanoptera

Blackfin scad LSN

17.6 cm TL. Source: S. Ratmuangkhwang. License: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Grey-blue above, silvery to white below; a diffuse dusky spot on margin of opercule, not bordered by white; first dorsal-fin membranes black; caudal fin dusky yellow; other fins generally pale or dusky.

Size:

Up to 25 cm TL.

Distribution:

Indo–West Pacific in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Pelagic, inshore coastal waters, sometimes on or near coral reefs.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on small invertebrates including shrimps and copepods. Adults from large schools.

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught mainly by hook-and-line.

Similar species:

Alepes djedaba
Shrimp scad

Alepes djedaba differs in having the membranes of spinous dorsal fin pale to dark dusky (vs. black) and total gill rakers on first gill arch 32–38 (vs. 24–30).

to Alepes djedaba

Alepes kleinii
Banded scad

Alepes kleinii differs in having the upper and lower jaws with a single row of teeth (vs. upper jaw with 2 rows of teeth, lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth anteriorly and a single row posteriorly); the membranes of spinous dorsal fin pale to dark dusky (vs. black) and upper jaw narrowly rounded posteriorly (vs. slightly concaved posteriorly).

to Alepes kleinii

Alepes vari
Herring scad

Alepes vari differs in having the membranes of spinous dorsal fin pale to dark dusky (vs. black); total gill rakers on first gill arch 38–47 (vs. 24–30).

to Alepes vari

Atule mate
Yellowtail scad

Atule mate differs in having a fleshy adipose eyelid completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centred on pupil (vs. fleshy adipose eyelid well developed posteriorly only, with most of the anterior part of eye exposed).

to Atule mate

External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM