Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

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Species: Gempylus serpens, Common Snake Mackerel, Snake Mackerel

very elongate, very compressed

D1 deep notch, XXVI-XXXII, low, long base
D & A: 5-7 finlets behind

tail base - no keels

lower jaw strongly projecting

2 LLs along back

Images

This Species (8) This Genus (1) Similar Species (9)

Gempylus serpens Cuvier, 1829

Snake Mackerel, Common Snake Mackerel

Very elongate and slender, very compressed; snout pointed; eye large; mouth long, lower jaw pointed, projecting; teeth large, conical, spaced apart, top jaw with fangs at front; 1st dorsal fin long and low (XXVI-XXXII); 2nd dorsal fin short, followed by 5-7 finlets; anal fin II free spines then I, 10-12, then 6-7 finlets; pelvic fins tiny, I, 3-4; tail fin forked; tail base without keels; 2 obvious lateral lines on body, 1 along mid-side, other along under 1st dorsal fin; skin smooth, scales small; no keel on belly.

Dark brown to blackish, with silvery reflections, fins grey-brown with darker margins.

Size: 125 cm.

Habitat: oceanic, surface to midwater.

Depth: 0-1000 m.

Circumtropical; New York to Brazil.

High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File

Salinity

Marine
Marine Only

Inshore/Offshore

Offshore
Offshore Only

Water Column Position

Mid Water
Near Surface
Surface
Water column only

Habitat

Water column

FishBase Habitat

Bathypelagic
Pelagic

Feeding Group

Carnivore
Data

Diet

Data
Bony fishes
Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
Pelagic crustacea

Egg Type

Data
Pelagic
Pelagic larva

Global Endemism

All species
Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
Greater Caribbean non-endemic

Regional Endemism

Also in Brazil
Continent
Continent + Island (s)
Extends N + S of GC
Extends North of GC
Extends South of GC
GC non-endemic
Island (s)
All species

Residency

Resident

Climate Zone

Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
Temperate (>35N)
Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)

IUCN Red List

Least concern
Listed

CITES

Not listed

Length Max

125

Depth Range Min

0

Depth Range Max

1000

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Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system: Species Data Report

Thu 31st Aug, 2023 05:43 pm

Species - Gempylus serpens

Habitat

Salinity

Marine

Marine Only

Inshore/Offshore

Offshore

Offshore Only

Water Column Position

Mid Water

Near Surface

Surface

Water column only

Habitat

Water column

FishBase Habitat

Bathypelagic

Pelagic

Feeding

Feeding Group

Carnivore

Data

Diet

Data

Bony fishes

Octopus/squid/cuttlefish

Pelagic crustacea

Reproduction

Egg Type

Data

Pelagic

Pelagic larva

Zoogeography

Global Endemism

All species

Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)

Greater Caribbean non-endemic

Regional Endemism

Also in Brazil

Continent

Continent + Island (s)

Extends N + S of GC

Extends North of GC

Extends South of GC

GC non-endemic

Island (s)

All species

Residency

Resident

Climate Zone

Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)

Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)

Temperate (>35N)

Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

Least concern

Listed

CITES

Not listed

Size

Length Max

125

Depth

Depth Range Min

0

Depth Range Max

1000

Range

Note: range polygons may be inaccurate for species known only from a few, widely scattered sites

Based on paint data

Latitude Limit N

Latitude Limit S

Longitude Limit W

Longitude Limit E

Latitudinal Range (N limit – S limit)

0

Longitudinal Range (W limit – E limit)

0

Range Midpoint (lat/long)

0, 0

Range Polygon Area: Km²

0 sq km

Range Polygon Centroid (lat/long)

-1, -1

Based on point data

Sampling-Point Count :

284

Range Polygon Area: Km²:

10,018,902 sq km

Range Polygon Centroid (lat/long):

20.66,-77.5048

Points
#	Lat	Long
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2	9.025	-59.075
3	9.17	-59.08
4	9.175	-59.0917
5	9.33	-59.17
6	9.3417	-59.175
7	9.4567	-76.4833
8	10.08	-59.55
9	11	-62
10	11.05	-77.73
11	11.0583	-77.7417
12	11.17	-59.53
13	11.175	-59.5417
14	11.3	-59.55
15	11.3083	-59.5583
16	11.4	-59.57
17	11.4083	-59.575
18	11.75	-62.983
19	11.8	-63
20	11.833	-65.483
21	12.11	-69
22	12.16	-68.29
23	12.27	-59.48
24	12.275	-59.4917
25	12.3	-69.167
26	12.3066	-69.1502
27	12.3653	-69.1605
28	12.367	-69.167
29	12.5	-62
30	12.82	-59.15
31	12.825	-59.1583
32	12.9633	-61.765
33	12.97	-78.4
34	12.97	-73.57
35	12.975	-78.4083
36	12.975	-73.575
37	13.07	-73.2
38	13.07	-58.57
39	13.075	-73.2083
40	13.075	-58.575
41	13.0833	-71.5417
42	13.1	-58.5
43	13.1083	-58.5083
44	13.1667	-63.0167
45	13.2	-72.78
46	13.2083	-72.7917
47	13.25	-59.725
48	13.48	-71.6
49	13.4847	-64.7005
50	13.4917	-71.6083
51	14.45	-62.48
52	14.4583	-62.4917
53	14.87	-67.95
54	14.875	-67.9583
55	14.9	-59.57
56	14.9083	-59.575
57	15	-80
58	15	-63.833
59	15.7461	-79.829
60	15.801	-79.7111
61	15.9605	-61.3324
62	16.08	-77.83
63	16.0917	-77.8417
64	16.4368	-86.6813
65	16.75	-64.3
66	16.7583	-64.3083
67	17.76	-64.63
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70	17.973	-87.209
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72	18.152	-65.4444
73	18.464	-69.8989
74	18.4665	-77.409
75	18.8651	-87.3995
76	19.0038	-94.9951
77	19.4932	-94.0143
78	19.4935	-95.0044
79	19.667	-73.917
80	19.67	-82.97
81	19.675	-82.975
82	19.714	-86.5992
83	19.77	-83.12
84	19.7836	-87.4355
85	19.8026	-87.447
86	19.8264	-87.4439
87	19.87	-69.77
88	19.875	-69.775
89	19.9995	-95.5036
90	20	-73
91	20	-64.87
92	20.0072	-85.2578
93	20.0083	-64.875
94	20.02	-95.92
95	20.052	-85.871
96	20.17	-92.42
97	20.175	-92.425
98	20.22	-84.2
99	20.225	-84.2083
100	20.49	-94.2597
101	20.51	-85.498
102	20.7333	-63.6333
103	20.7417	-63.6417
104	20.7712	-86.5233
105	20.7773	-86.3937
106	20.9131	-86.4131
107	20.9847	-86.7237
108	20.9959	-94.1634
109	20.9964	-94.7368
110	21.0048	-94.5048
111	21.0071	-85.8358
112	21.012	-93.4994
113	21.4887	-95.4995
114	21.497	-93.737
115	21.4993	-94.989
116	21.5033	-93.4899
117	21.592	-79.4341
118	21.65	-67.9333
119	21.6583	-67.9417
120	21.7298	-86.2342
121	22.0048	-96.5096
122	22.0069	-93.5016
123	22.0107	-94.5071
124	22.0157	-95.5001
125	22.37	-92.08
126	22.4856	-95.0066
127	22.4898	-95.2591
128	22.49	-95.993
129	22.4987	-86.4632
130	22.9953	-94.9852
131	22.9967	-94.241
132	23	-67.48
133	23.0083	-67.4917
134	23.0112	-94.7482
135	23.0132	-95.4964
136	23.1698	-82.3702
137	23.2013	-87.1789
138	23.2395	-96.0147
139	23.2461	-96.2551
140	23.2952	-86.8911
141	23.3001	-87.0494
142	23.3554	-86.7984
143	23.4	-67.5
144	23.408	-86.9047
145	23.4083	-67.5083
146	23.4193	-87.367
147	23.4248	-81.999
148	23.4348	-83.3898
149	23.5083	-86.704
150	23.5532	-87.458
151	23.57	-67.52
152	23.575	-67.525
153	23.5897	-86.5853
154	23.5978	-87.1643
155	23.626	-87.4637
156	23.6483	-83.5297
157	23.6808	-87.4177
158	23.6992	-86.4885
159	23.733	-70.3908
160	23.74	-70.3883
161	23.7467	-70.3733
162	23.75	-70.365
163	23.8167	-82.8667
164	23.8311	-87.0616
165	23.8793	-86.9563
166	23.9228	-81.9917
167	23.93	-67.53
168	23.9417	-67.5417
169	24	-74
170	24.03	-83.3967
171	24.0782	-83.8105
172	24.2167	-82.2167
173	24.345	-70.4208
174	24.3482	-87.241
175	24.375	-82.9498
176	24.4041	-87.1484
177	24.42	-70.35
178	24.425	-70.3583
179	24.438	-85.554
180	24.5053	-85.2915
181	24.5722	-85.0328
182	24.5878	-90.4049
183	24.6	-82.94
184	24.6167	-83.5833
185	24.6302	-82.9215
186	24.638	-82.86
187	24.7	-60.5
188	24.7075	-84.4993
189	24.7106	-75.7875
190	24.7533	-83.7607
191	24.8137	-84.0777
192	24.85	-80.619
193	24.85	-80.6167
194	24.9533	-77.705
195	25.0069	-89.99
196	25.02	-77.71
197	25.0333	-79.8
198	25.0425	-77.5225
199	25.0463	-77.5062
200	25.246	-91.8416
201	25.2533	-92.3246
202	25.2535	-93.5077
203	25.261	-93.7519
204	25.2626	-92.0073
205	25.35	-79.8333
206	25.35	-79.6833
207	25.352	-83.722
208	25.3643	-91.4762
209	25.37	-77.9267
210	25.4033	-79.85
211	25.4083	-72.7417
212	25.4449	-79.3453
213	25.4528	-91.636
214	25.461	-85.8983
215	25.4846	-91.6872
216	25.5167	-79.85
217	25.5667	-80.0167
218	25.5783	-79.4618
219	25.5833	-79.75
220	25.5833	-79.45
221	25.5833	-79.35
222	25.5917	-79.7667
223	25.6	-79.6333
224	25.6	-71.5683
225	25.65	-67.72
226	25.6583	-67.725
227	25.8758	-79.7463
228	25.976	-79.5183
229	26	-84.6667
230	26.0219	-93.4109
231	26.3629	-95.4166
232	26.37	-76.17
233	26.375	-76.175
234	26.42	-79.75
235	26.425	-79.7583
236	26.5	-70.3
237	26.5083	-70.3083
238	26.5126	-95.2489
239	26.5333	-90.15
240	26.58	-79.47
241	26.5917	-79.475
242	26.73	-79.67
243	26.7417	-79.675
244	27.0333	-74
245	27.0333	-69.9167
246	27.0417	-74.0083
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250	27.3041	-93.5384
251	28.03	-67.55
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253	28.2527	-80.3115
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255	28.5	-85
256	28.5083	-88.7583
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259	29	-87.55
260	29	-87.25
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262	29.2707	-87.8552
263	29.5125	-79.4992
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278	32	-64.8
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281	32	-63
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283	32.3	-64
284	32.3	-63.8