Mediterranean horse mackerel facts for kids
The Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus), also known as the Black Sea horse mackerel or just scad, is a type of mackerel fish. It belongs to the family Carangidae. You can find this fish in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from the Bay of Biscay down to Mauritania, and also throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
This fish lives near the ocean floor but also swims in open water. It prefers warm, subtropical seas. Mediterranean horse mackerel can grow up to 60 cm (24 in) (about 2 feet) long. In countries around the Mediterranean and Black Seas, this fish is a very important part of what people catch for food. For example, it makes up more than half of all fish caught in the Black Sea. Even though there was a lot of overfishing in the 1980s, the number of fish caught has become steady. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a species of "least concern", meaning it's not currently in danger.
Quick facts for kids Mediterranean horse mackerel |
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T. m. mediterraneus (Steindachner, 1868) |
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Caranx trachurus mediterraneus Steindachner, 1868 |
Contents
About Its Name
The Mediterranean horse mackerel was first described by a scientist in 1868. This scientist was Franz Steindachner, an Austrian expert in fish, animals, and reptiles. He gave it the name Caranx trachurus mediterraneus.
The first part of its scientific name, Trachurus, comes from two Greek words. Trachys means "rough," and oura means "tail." So, its name basically means "rough tail."
What It Looks Like
The Mediterranean horse mackerel has a long, flat body. It can grow up to 60 cm (24 in) long, but usually, they are about 30 cm (12 in) (about 1 foot). It has a big head and its lower jaw sticks out a bit. Its nostrils are small and close together. Its eyes are protected by a thick, clear eyelid. The upper jaw is also big and wide.
The top part of its body and head is a dark color, like blue, grey, or black. The bottom two-thirds of its body is white or silver. Its tail fin is yellow. It also has a clear black spot right behind its gill cover. This fish has between 36 and 41 gillrakers, which are like filters for breathing. It also has two separate spines in front of its anal fin.
Where It Lives
The Mediterranean horse mackerel lives in warm, subtropical waters. You can find it in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from the Bay of Biscay all the way down to Mauritania. It also lives in the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the southwestern Sea of Azov.
There are two main types, or subspecies, of this fish. The T. m. mediterraneus subspecies lives in the Mediterranean Sea. The T. m. ponticus subspecies, also called the Black Sea scad, lives in the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Sea of Azov. This Black Sea type is found in the waters of all countries around the Black Sea, including Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. These different types of fish are not completely separate. Some of them travel between seas, and sometimes they even have mixed offspring.
This fish usually lives at depths from 5–250 m (16–820 ft) (about 16 to 820 feet). However, it can sometimes be found as deep as 500 m (1,600 ft) (about 1,640 feet). It mostly lives near the ocean floor, but sometimes groups of them swim closer to the surface.
Life and Habits
The Mediterranean horse mackerel is a marine species, meaning it lives in saltwater. It prefers water that is a bit salty and warm, subtropical temperatures. This fish is "oceandromous," which means it migrates within the same body of water where it lives.
It mainly eats small fish like sardines and anchovies, as well as tiny crustaceans (like small shrimp or crabs). It often swims in large groups, or schools, with other types of horse mackerel.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Like other mackerels, the Mediterranean horse mackerel reproduces by laying eggs. This is called being "oviparous." Its breeding cycle has three main parts: before reproduction, during reproduction, and after reproduction.
The "before reproduction" stage happens from January to April. The "after reproduction" stage is from September to December. During these times, the fish's reproductive organs are much smaller. Mating happens in the summer, from May to August. This is when the testes (in males) and ovaries (in females) grow much larger. The ovaries turn a dark orange color, and you can see the eggs on the surface.
The eggs develop into embryos in about 24 to 26 hours. The eggs float in the water and are very small, about 0.71–0.92 mm (0.028–0.036 in) long. Both male and female fish become ready to reproduce when they are about 2 years old and around 16 cm (6.3 in) (about 6 inches) long.
This fish can be affected by tiny parasites called monogeneans, such as Gastrocotyle trachuri.
How People Use This Fish
The Mediterranean horse mackerel is a very important fish for people in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea regions. It makes up a large part of the fish caught there. For example, it accounts for 54% of all fish caught in the Black Sea and 39% in the Sea of Marmara. In the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, it makes up about 3-4% of the yearly catch.
Fishermen often use fixed nets and large nets called seines to catch these fish. The Mediterranean horse mackerel is caught more often than another similar species because it forms dense schools and lives in shallower waters. In Turkey, this fish, along with anchovies, makes up almost 60% of all seafood produced.
Even though it's caught a lot, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) lists the Mediterranean horse mackerel as "least concern." This means its population is not in danger. It lives in a very wide area, which helps protect it from big drops in numbers. Fish catches have been stable in recent years. In the 1980s, too much fishing caused a big drop in catches in the Black and Marmara Seas, but numbers have since become steady.
Some countries have rules to help protect this fish. For example, in the EU, fish must be at least 15 cm (5.9 in) long to be caught. In Ukraine, the minimum length is 10 cm (3.9 in), in Romania and Bulgaria it's 12 cm (4.7 in), and in Turkey it's 13 cm (5.1 in).
