You can sponsor this page

Scomberomorus cavalla  (Cuvier, 1829)

King mackerel
Add your observation in Fish Watcher
Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2100
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Scomberomorus cavalla   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
Upload your photos and videos
Pictures | Google image
Image of Scomberomorus cavalla (King mackerel)
Scomberomorus cavalla
Picture by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory


Mexico country information

Common names: Carito, Carito lucio, Peto
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: commercial | Ref: Anonymous, 1994
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: no regulations | Ref: Anonymous, 1994
Uses: no uses
Comments: Recorded from Celestún Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan (Ref. 74908). Year round fishing; marketed fres (whole, fillet), frozen, or salted (Ref. 26550).
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen, 1983
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) > Scombrinae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Main reference

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 184 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710); common length : 70.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 168); max. published weight: 45.0 kg (Ref. 168); max. reported age: 14 years (Ref. 4949)

Length at first maturity
Lm 63.3, range 45 - 114 cm

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 5 - 140 m (Ref. 36484), usually 5 - 15 m (Ref. 40849)

Climate / Range

Tropical, preferred 23°C (Ref. 107945); 44°N - 22°S, 98°W - 34°W (Ref. 54879)

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951) to Massachusetts, USA to São Paulo, Brazil. Eastern Central Atlantic: St. Paul's Rocks (Ref. 13121).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-18; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 16 - 20; Vertebrae: 41 - 43. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Swim bladder absent. Lateral line abruptly curving downward below second dorsal fin. Intestine with 2 folds and 3 limbs. Adults have no black area on the anterior part of the first dorsal fin. Juveniles with bronze spots in 5 or 6 irregular rows. Body entirely covered with scales.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Often found in outer reef areas. Larvae are encountered in surface waters of 26.3° to 31°C and 26.9 to 35 ppt. Feeds primarily on fishes with smaller quantities of penaeid shrimps and squids. Large schools have been found to migrate over considerable distances along the Atlantic US coast, water temperature permitting. It is an important species for recreational, commercial, and artisanal fisheries throughout its range. Most of the catch is processed into steaks or sold fresh, or sometimes canned and salted. Also prepared smoked and frozen (Ref. 9987). Potentially ciguatoxic in certain areas (Ref. 9710). Sometimes called "Kingfish" (Ref. 13442).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Threat to humans

  Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 9710)



Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

More information

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion
Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Download XML

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.4   ±0.3 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.07-0.15; tm=2; tmax=14; Fec=70,000)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
High vulnerability (58 of 100)
Price category (Ref. 80766)
Medium