Species: Rachycentron canadum, Cobia

Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766)

Cobia

Body elongate, nearly cylindrical; head pointed, broad and flattened; mouth large, at front, lower jaw projecting; teeth small, simple, on jaws, roof of mouth and tongue; dorsal fin with VII-IX short, separated (not connected by membrane) spines, soft part 26-33, long, and low, slightly raised at front; anal fin like soft dorsal, I-III, 26-33; tail fin concave in adults (rounded in juveniles), upper tip longer; pectorals pointed, curved; pelvics short, inserted before pectoral base; scales small, imbedded in thick skin; lateral line a little wavy at front.

Dark brown, paler below, belly yellowish; 2 marked silvery stripes along side, 1 from eye to upper tail base, the other from pectoral base to center of tail base; fins dark.

Reaches 200 cm; 78 kg.

Pelagic in nearshore waters over mud, sand, rock and reef bottoms; also in surface layer of offshore waters as deep as 1200 m.

Depth range: 0-128 m.

Indo-W Pacific and both sides of the Atlantic; Massachusetts to Argentina.