Narrow-barred spanish mackerel
(Scomberomorus commerson)
General data
The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) is a mackerel of the family Scombridae found in a wide-ranging area centering in Southeast Asia, but as far west as the east coast of Africa and from the Middle East and along the northern coastal areas of the Indian Ocean, and as far east as the South West Pacific Ocean.
Description
They are vivid blue to dark grey in color along their backs and flanks and fade to a silvery blue-grey on the belly. Spanish mackerel have scores of narrow, vertical lines down their sides.
Spanish mackerel are the largest of all Australian mackerels, growing to about 200 cm and up to 70 kg.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in a wide area centering in Southeast Asia, but as far west as the east coast of Africa and from the Persian Gulf and along the northern coastal areas of the Indian Ocean, and as far east as Fiji in the South West Pacific ocean. They are common down both sides of Australia as far south as Perth on the west coast and Sydney on the east coast. They are also found as far north as China and even Japan.
It has colonised the Mediterranean as a Lessepsian migrant from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal, and it is now common in the eastern Mediterranean, having become an important quarry species for local fisheries.
