Atlantic Spanish mackerel
(Scomberomorus maculatus)
General data
The Atlantic Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) is a migratory species of mackerels that swims to the Northern Gulf of Mexico in spring, returns to south Florida in the Eastern Gulf, and to Mexico in the Western Gulf in the fall.
Description
The fish exhibits a green back; its sides are silvery marked with about three rows of round to elliptical yellow spots. The lateral line gradually curves down from the upper end of the gill cover toward the caudal peduncle. The first (spiny) dorsal fin is black at the front. Posterior membranes are white with a black edge. Its single row of cutting-edged teeth in each jaw (around sixty-four teeth in all) are large, uniform, closely spaced, and flattened from side to side. As with the King mackerel and the Cero mackerel, these teeth look very similar to those of the Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix.
Spanish Mackerel can grow (rarely) to 36-37 inches and weigh up to 14 pounds.
