Carangidae

Carangidae is a family of perciform fishes known commonly as jacks, trevallies, or pompanos. It comprises about 140 to 160 species in roughly 30 genera, including Caranx, Seriola, Trachinotus, Selene, and Lichia. Members are distributed in warm and temperate seas worldwide, with most occupying coastal and offshore habitats on the continental shelf, reef-associated zones, or pelagic environments. Many form large, fast-swimming schools.

Anatomy and identification: Carangids are typically laterally compressed with strong, forked tails. The dorsal and anal fins are often continuous or deeply notched, and some species have keeled scutes along the belly or along the lateral line. They vary in size from small species of a few tens of centimeters to large amberjacks (Seriola dumerili) exceeding two meters. Their mouths are often protractile, and they have keen senses suited to active predation.

Ecology: Carangids are primarily predators, feeding on smaller fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Many species undertake long migrations between feeding and spawning grounds. They play an important role in pelagic and coastal food webs and are targeted by both commercial and recreational fisheries.

Economic and conservation notes: Several carangids are economically important, including amberjack, pompano (Trachinotus spp.), and jack mackerels (Trachurus spp.). Management measures such as size limits, quotas, and protected areas are used in some regions to sustain stocks, while data gaps exist for others.