Species: Scomberesox saurus, Atlantic Saury

Scomberesox saurus (Walbaum, 1792)

Atlantic Saury

Body elongate, fusiform, compressed, tapering at both ends; upper and lower jaws prolonged into a beak, lower jaw projecting; teeth small, pointed; 34-45 gill rakers; pelvic fins at center of body; dorsal and anal fins small, at rear of body, origin of dorsal behind that of anal, orsal 9-12 + finlets, anal 12-13 plus finlets, both fins followed by 5-6 separate finlets; tail fin strongly forked, symmetrical; body covered with small scales, patch of scales on operculum; scales before dorsal fin 73-81.

Olive green above; side of body with a silver stripe at eye level; a dark green spot above the base of each pectoral fin; dorsal fin greenish; lower body silvery, with gold tones. Young have dark blue backs and silver sides.

Reaches 85 cm.

Lives in offshore surface waters.

Depth range: 0-30 m.

Antitropical in temperate areas of the Atlantic; the eastern US to Venezuela.