CARANGIDAE


Decapterus russelli, 18.7 cm SL
(photo by Seishi Kimura)


Decapterus russelli
(Rüppell, 1830)
Indian Scad

D VIII + I, 28-33 (including finlet); A II + I, 25-29 (including finlet); GR 10-14 + 30-39 = 41-53; V 10+14.

Body elongate, slender, cylindrical. Adipose eyelid well developed and completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centered on pupil. Shoulder girdle (cleithrum) margin with 2 small papillae. A single detached finlet in dorsal and anal fins. Predorsal scaled area not reaching to level of center of eye; straight part of lateral line usually entirely with scutes (30-40), but rarely a few scales anteriorly. Color: body silvery blueish gray dorsally, silvery white ventrally; a black spot posteriorly on opercle. Size: maximum standard length about 30 cm. Distribution: widely distributed in Indo-Pacific, from eastern coast of Africa to eastern Australia, north to Japan. Remarks: inhabit in inshore waters up to 100 m depth. Feeds mainly on planktonic invertebrates. Marketed fresh, dried, or salted.