Doublespotted queenfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Doublespotted queenfish |
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The doublespotted queenfish (Scomberoides lysan) is a type of fish that lives in warm, tropical waters. It belongs to the family called Carangidae, which are also known as jacks. This fish is often found near coral reefs and swims widely across the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. People sometimes call it by other names like "giant dart," "leatherskin," or "whitefish."
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What Does It Look Like?
Doublespotted queenfish can grow quite big! They can reach up to 110 centimeters (about 3.6 feet) long. Some have even weighed as much as 11 kilograms (about 24 pounds).
Most of these fish are silver in color. They have darker colors on their back fin (called the dorsal fin) and tail fin (called the caudal fin). You can also see a row of dark spots along each side of their body, near the lateral line. Their scales are very small and feel like needles. They are hidden in the fish's tough skin.
Where Do They Live?
This fish lives in many places, from the Red Sea and eastern Africa all the way to Hawaii and the Tuamotu Islands. You can find them as far north as southern Japan and south to New South Wales in Australia.
They prefer clear waters, from the surface down to about 100 meters (330 feet) deep. Young queenfish like to stay in shallow water close to the shore. This includes areas where fresh water and salt water mix, called brackish water. Adult queenfish usually live near reefs. They often swim alone instead of in large groups.
What Do They Eat?
Young doublespotted queenfish have an interesting diet. They eat the scales of other schooling fish. Like many other jacks, adult queenfish hunt for their food. They mostly eat smaller fish and crustaceans, which are like crabs and shrimp.
This species has spines on its back and bottom fins (dorsal and anal fins). These spines can cause a sting if you touch them.
Relationship with Humans
Doublespotted queenfish are popular with people who enjoy sport fishing. They are also sometimes used as bait to catch other, bigger fish. The largest doublespotted queenfish ever caught by a sport fisher weighed 3.29 kilograms (7 pounds 4 ounces). This record fish was caught off Benguerra Island in Mozambique in 2008.
See also
In Spanish: Scomberoides lysan para niños
