Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

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Species: Scomberomorus regalis, Cero, Cero Mackerel

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orange spots above & below orange stripe
D1: front 1/3 black
gill rakers 12-18
pectoral scaled
LL gradually curves to tail base

Scomberomorus regalis (Bloch, 1793)

Cero, Cero Mackerel

Elongate, strongly compressed; snout shorter than rest of head; no fatty eyelid; rear of top jawbone exposed when mouth is closed; teeth strong, compressed, triangular or knife-like; gill rakers 12-18 (2-4+10-14); 2 dorsal fins, very close together, the first relatively low with XVII-XIX spines; second dorsal higher than first, with 16-19 (usually 17-18) rays followed by 7-9 finlets; anal fin similar in shape and height to second dorsal, with 15-20 rays followed by 7-9 finlets; pectoral fins with scales; 1 large + 2 small keels on tail base; tail fin deeply forked; no developed corselet of scales; lateral line curves gradually down towards tail base.

Back greenish blue on back, silvery white on lower sides and belly; mid-side with a broken orange stripe, 3-4 rows of small yellow spots above and below the stripe; front 1/3 of first dorsal fin black.

Size: attains 89 cm; IGFA record 8.2 kg.

Habitat: usually solitary or in small groups; common around reefs.

Depth: 0-100 m.

Massachusetts to Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • In & Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Offshore
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Near Surface
  • Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic 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
  • 89
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 100