Species: Decapterus tabl, Redtail Scad

Decapterus tabl Berry, 1968

Redtail Scad

Elongate, slender, cylindrical; eye covered with adipose eyelid except for central slit; front tip of top jaw hooked; rear edge of upper jaw straight to (rarely) slightly concave above, with angular top corner, rounded bottom corner; front of shoulder that meets gill chamber with 2 moderate sized papillae; top and bottom of opercular edge finely serrated in large fish; gill rakers (including rudiments) 10-13+28-33; dorsal rays VIII+I, 31-37 (including detached rear finlet); anal rays II+I, 27-31 (including detached rear finlet); pectoral fin 58-72% of head length; tail base slender; tail strongly forked; lateral line with long, low arch anteriorly; 61-72 scales on curved part of lateral line then straight part with 0-8 scales followed by 31-39 scutes, total scales and scutes in lateral line (excluding caudal scales) 103-115; scales on top of head usually extend forward to level of at least anterior margin of pupil; branches of lateral line extending onto nape only.

Greenish brown on back, silvery white below; a bright blue stripe along mid-side; snout and top jaw tinted with red; a small black spot at top corner of operculum; edges of tail fin, dorsal fins, dorsal finlets, and pectorals red; anal fin and pelvics white; membrane inside at front of roof of mouth dusky to clear.

Size: grows to 51 cm.

Habitat: pelagic, schooling, inshore, midwater to bottom.

Depth: 0-233 m.

Indo-West Pacific, Trans- Atlantic; N Carolina to Uruguary.