Pacific jack mackerel

Pacific jack mackerel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Family: Carangidae
Genus: Trachurus
Species:
T. symmetricus
Binomial name
Trachurus symmetricus
(Ayres, 1855)
Synonyms
  • Caranx symmetricus,
    Ayres, 1855
  • Decapterus polyaspis,
    Walford & Myers, 1944
  • Trachurus symmetricus symmetricus,
    (Ayres, 1855)
  • Trachurus picturatus symmetricus,
    (Ayres, 1855)

The Pacific jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus), also known as the Californian jack mackerel or simply jack mackerel, is an abundant species of pelagic marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. It is distributed along the western coast of North America, ranging from Alaska in the north to the Gulf of California in the south, inhabiting both offshore and inshore environments. The Pacific jack mackerel is a moderately large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 81 cm, although commonly seen below 55 cm. It is very similar in appearance to other members of its genus, Trachurus, especially T. murphyi, which was once thought to be a subspecies of T. symmetricus, and inhabits waters further south. Pacific jack mackerel travel in large schools, ranging up to 600 miles offshore and to depths of 400 m, generally moving through the upper part of the water column.

  1. ^ Smith-Vaniz, B.; Robertson, R.; Dominici-Arosemena, A. (2010). "Trachurus symmetricus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T183729A8166054. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183729A8166054.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.