YELLOW JACK Caranx bartholomaei
Family Carangidae(Jacks)
YELLOW JACK Caranx bartholomaei
Body deep, fins distinctly yellowish in adults, juveniles silvery-yellow and may have whitish blotches or a dark bar through the eye. Young are occasionally seen in large schools near rocky outcrops at Gray's Reef. Massachusetts to Brazil. 30 in.
CREVALLE JACK, COMMON JACK Caranx hippos
Steep head, deep body, first rays of the second dorsal and anal fins greatly elongated, color metallic green. The young have dark bars and are sometimes confused with other species (e.g. pilotfish). Also called the common jack because of its worldwide distribution and abundance, it is one of the largest jacks and a powerful gamefish. Nova Scotia to Uruguay. 38 in.
BAR JACK Caranx ruber
Body small, a pair of stripes (light blue and dark) runs along the base of the dorsal fin across the caudal peduncle into the lower lobe of the caudal fin. They are frequently seen near rocky outcrops at Gray's Reef in small schools that tend to sweep upward and downward more than other jacks. New Jersey to Brazil. 20 in.
ROUND SCAD, CIGARFISH, CIGAR MINNOW Decapterus punctatus
Body small, slender and silvery; thickened scales (scutes) forming a keel along the posterior lateral line; a dorsal and ventral finlet; two fleshy projections of the shoulder girdle under the gill cover; small black spots spaced on pored scales of curved lateral line. The mackerel scad (D. macarellus), which lacks spots on lateral line, and the rough scad (Trachurus lathami), which lacks terminal finlets, spots and has scutes present on curved portion of lateral line, also occur at Gray's Reef but are less common. This small jack is the commonest of the densely schooling baitfish at Gray's Reef. Schools of hundreds to thousands are common near rocky outcrops. Nova Scotia to Brazil. 5-7 in.
PILOTFISH Naucrates ductor
Six or seven black bars on a silvery white background (the bars can fade under the fish's control), long lateral keel on the caudal peduncle, snout blunt, upper jaw narrow. Principally an oceanic species, this is another fish that is found in close association with large fish, turtles, and ships. Juveniles are often found in Sargassum seaweed and other floating material. Worldwide; Nova Scotia to Argentina in the western Atlantic. 14 in.
GREATER AMBERJACK Seriola dumerili
Body large, oblique darkish band through the eye extending to the base of the first dorsal fin, amber stripe extending from the eye along the midline of the body. The body color is darker drab above and silvery whitish below occasionally with 7 dusky bars. The almaco jack (S. rivoliana) is similar but has a deeper body with longer second dorsal and anal fin rays. Largest of the jacks, it schools near reefs and will circle close to divers. Though not a reef fish, big amberjacks have been observed venturing into large crevice overhangs in search of reef-fish prey at Gray's Reef. Massachusetts to Brazil. 36 in.
PERMIT, ROUND POMPANO Trachinotus falcatus
Body deep, compressed; color silvery; tail deeply forked; anterior dorsal and anal fins elongate. The palometa or longfinned pompano (T. goodei) and the Florida pompano (T. carolinus) also occur on the Georgia coast. The former is distinguished by several thin, dark bars and very elongate dorsal and anal fins, the latter by shorter fins and a less deep, more ovoid body. Massachusetts to Argentina. 8-10 in.
Family Scombridae (Tunas and Mackerels)
LITTLE TUNNY, FALSE ALBACORE, BONITO Euthynnus alleteratus
Body robust, bullet-shaped; first dorsal fin high, concave; scales lacking except for a corselet of thickened scales around the pectoral fin; distinct dark spots between the pectoral and pelvic fins. This pelagic predator is often caught on hook and line by trolling with lures near reefs. Massachusetts to Brazil. 30 in.
KING MACKEREL Scomberomorus cavalla
Body large, elongate; lateral line curves sharply downward below the second dorsal fin; 15 to 16 dorsal spines; 8-9 short gill rakers on lower first gill arch. Young have yellow-bronze spots and are sometimes confused with the Spanish mackerel (S. maculatus). It is caught on hook and line with live bait or by trolling. It is occasionally seen far above rocky outcrops by divers at Gray's Reef. Maine to Brazil. 48 in.
SPANISH MACKEREL Scomberomorous maculatus
Body elongate, laterally compressed; lateral line does not curve sharply downward below the second dorsal fin; 13-15 rakers on lower first gill arch; numerous yellow-bronze spots on a silvery iridescent bluish-green body ,anterior third of its dorsal fin black. Young king mackerel (S.. cavalla)resemble Spanish mackerel. It is caught on hook and line by trolling. Divers occasionally observe rapidly swimming schools far above the rocky outcrops at Gray's Reef. Maine to Brazil. 27 in.