Species: Scomberomorus regalis, Cero mackerel, the Cero
Scomberomorus regalis (Bloch, 1793)
Cero
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 7.8 kg.
Habitat: usually solitary or in small groups; common around reefs.
Depth: 0-67 m.
Massachusetts to Brazil.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- In & Offshore
- Inshore
- Offshore
- Water Column Position
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- Mid Water
- Surface
- Near Surface
- Water column only
- Habitat
-
- Water column
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
-
- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Bony fishes
- Data
- Egg Type
-
- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
-
- West Atlantic Endemic
- All species.
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- Extends North of GC
- Also in Brazil
- Extends South of GC
- Continent
- GC non-endemic
- All species..
- Island (s)
- Extends N + S of GC
- Continent + Island (s)
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Temperate (>35N)
- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 89
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 67
