Species: Seriola fasciata, Lesser Amberjack

Seriola fasciata (Bloch, 1793)

Lesser Amberjack

Elongate, fusiform, compressed; snout long, pointed; bone on top of rear of top jaw narrow, reaches under front edge of pupil; gill rakers (excluding rudiments) 23-26 in all fish; dorsal fin VII (last imbedded in large fish) + I, 28-33; anal rays II (reduced or completely embedded in large fish) + I, 17-20, its base much shorter than soft dorsal base; dorsal and anal fin lobes low, dorsal lobe 12-16% of fork length; pectoral short (< head length); no finlets after 2nd dorsal and anal fins; tail base slender; tail strongly forked; grooves present on dorsal and ventral surface of caudal fin base, but no lateral fleshy keel; lateral line with slight arch over pectoral region; no scutes (hard spiny scales) on lateral line.

Pinkish to violet above, silvery below; oblique dark band (when present) from eye to nape (not to dorsal fin base); often a yellow stripe from eye along flank to end of tail base; anal fin dark, lobe white; pelvics white, with dark inner part; tail fin dark, narrow lighter rear border. Juveniles (up to 20cm) with oblique head band and 7 irregular, broken dark bars on side, 3rd-7th extend onto dorsal and anal fins.

Size: attains 79 cm, 4.6 kg.

Habitat: pelagic, near bottom.

Depth: 20-348 m.

Massachusetts to Venezuela.