Distinguishing Characteristics |
Body elongate, moderately deep, moderately compressed; color silvery on sides, bluish and somewhat iridescent stripe on back to tail fin, older fish with a black bar along the back to the caudal fin, lower lobe of tail fin with white lower margin and black bar above; juveniles with about 6 vertical dark bars; snout pointed; upper jaw just barely reaching anterior margin of eye; lower jaw not reaching anterior of eye; lateral line with low extended arch, posterior lateral line with raised scutes; pair of keels on caudal peduncle; pectoral fin falcate (sickle-shaped) reaching to about anal fin origin. |
Similar Species |
Similar in shape to the yellow jack, but the yellow jack does not have the black bar on the lower caudal fin. In fact, no other jack has a black bar on the lower caudal fin. Also, other Caranx species have a lower jaw that extends to under the eye. |
Habitat |
Gulf, common in shallow water areas, around reefs, usually found in schools |
Maximum Size |
69 cm (27 in), common to 50 cm (19 1/2 in) |
Fin Element Counts |
D. VIII+I,27; A. II+I,24 (explain) |
Other Common Names |
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Previous Scientific Names |
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Comments |
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State size/bag limits |
None; Check for state record. |