The banded rudderfish (''Seriola zonata''), also known as the slender amberjack, banded mackerel or shark pilot, is a species of

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

from the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Carangidae The Carangidae are a family of ray-finned fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, runners, and scads. It is the largest of the six families included within the order Carangiformes. Some authorities classify it as the only family ...

, the jacks and

pompano Pompanos ( ) are marine fishes in the genus ''Trachinotus'' in the family Carangidae (better known as "jacks"). Pompano may also refer to various other, similarly shaped members of the Carangidae, or the order Perciformes. Their appearance is ...

s from the western Atlantic Ocean.

Description

Banded rudderfish are bluish, greenish or brown in colour when adult and do not have any dark vertical bars. The second

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through conv ...

is around twice the length of the

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

. The dark lobes of the

caudal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

have white tips. The juveniles have six transverse dark bars along their flanks and a dark stripe which runs from the eye to the first dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is dark but there is a indistinct white margin on the second dorsal fin whil the lobe and margin of the anal fin are white. It frequently has an amber stripe which runs from the snout along the flank and there is often another dark strip running from the eye to in front of the first dorsal fin. It has an elongated,

fusiform Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends. It is similar to the lemon-shape, but often implies a focal broadening of a structure that continues from one or both ends, such as an aneurysm on a b ...

, compressed body with a long, pointed snout. This species can attain a length of and a weight of .

Distribution

The banded rudderfish is a species of the western Atlantic Ocean where it is found from

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

Santos, São Paulo Santos (, ''Saints'') is a municipality in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, founded in 1546 by the Portuguese nobleman Brás Cubas. It is located mostly on the island of São Vicente, which harbors both the city of Santos and the city of São ...

. Its presence in Cuba has yet to be confirmed.

Habitat and biology

The banded rudderfish is a

benthopelagic The demersal zone is the part of the sea or ocean (or deep lake) consisting of the part of the water column near to (and significantly affected by) the seabed and the benthos. The demersal zone is just above the benthic zone and forms a layer of ...

fish which is found at depths of . It is found over hard substrates in both inshore and offshore waters but it normally inhabits shallower water than its congeners. The juveniles are found in association with floating mats of weed or debris, and have been known to follow sharks and other large fishes. The juveniles have also been recorded in association with jellyfish. The adults feed on fish and crustacea.

Spawning Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquati ...

takes place throughout the year in offshore waters.

Species description

''Seriola zonata'' was formally described in 1815 as ''Scomber zonatus'' by the American physician, naturalist and politician

Samuel L. Mitchill Samuel Latham Mitchill (August 20, 1764September 7, 1831) was an American physician, naturalist, and politician who lived in Plandome, New York. Early life Samuel Mitchill was born in Hempstead in the Province of New York, the son of Robert M ...

(1764–1831) with the type locality stated as

New York Bay New York Bay is the large tidal body of water in the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary where the Hudson River, Raritan River, and Arthur Kill empty into the Atlantic Ocean between Sandy Hook and Rockaway Point. Geography New York Bay is usu ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2978659 Banded rudderfish Fish described in 1815