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Crevalle Jack

Scientific Classification

Common Name
crevalle jack
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Osteichthyes
Order
Perciformes
Family
Carangidae
Genus Species
Caranx hippos

Fast Facts

Description
Silver body with black spot on gill plate edge (parallel to eye) and black blotch at base of pectoral fin. Single dorsal fin and anal fin are set just past mid-point of body. Both dorsal and anal fin are relatively narrow, falcate structures. Pronounced keel is found along either side of the narrow caudal peduncle. Deeply centrally cleft (lunate) caudal fin.
Size
30.5 to 76.2 cm (1 to 2.5 ft) avg; 124 cm (4.1 ft) max
Weight
32 kg (70.5 lbs.) max
Diet
Smaller fish, shrimp, crabs, and other invertebrates
Incubation
Species exhibits dioecism. Fertilization is external. Species is open water/substratum egg scatterer. Spawning occurs primarily in the spring.
Sexual Maturity
55 to 65 cm (22 to 26 in.) total body length
Range
Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia to Gulf of Mexico and Uruguay, including Greater Antilles
Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to Angola, including western Mediterranean
Habitat
1 to 350 meters (3 to 1150 ft) in tropical & sub-tropical open and coastal marine and brackish waters
Population
Global: No data
Status 
IUCN: Not listed
CITES: Not listed
USFWS: Not listed

Fun Facts

  1. The crevalle jack is a prey item for various surface-feeding carnivores, such as finfish (i.e. striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax) and sea birds. 
  2. The crevalle jack is capable of producing croaking sounds by grinding its teeth together while releasing gas from its air bladder.
  3. The Florida fishing record for the crevalle jack is 23.1 kg (51 lbs.). 
  4. Schools of crevalle jacks have been observed to corner and/or corral smaller baitfish. Once contained, the jacks will feed on the baitfish with great voraciousness. Their surface feeding commotion may be seen from a great distance - often appearing as boiling or churning surface waters. 
  5. For more information about bony fishes, explore the Bony Fishes InfoBook.  

Ecology and Conservation

The crevalle jack is a relevantly unimportant commercial fish species. Never the less, they are fished commercially throughout the year in southwest Florida, and in the spring, fall, and summer in the Gulf of Mexico.

Crevalle jacks are an important sport fish, and are exploited throughout their range. They are the most common large jack caught off the west coast of Florida.


Bibliography

Bond, Carl E. Biology of Fishes - Second Edition. Saunders College Publishing, 1996.

Humann, Paul. Reef Fish Identification - Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc., 1992.

fishbase.org

tpwd.state.tx.us

flmnh.ufl.edu