About Decapterus punctatus (Cuvier, 1829)
The round scad, scientifically named Decapterus punctatus (Cuvier, 1829), is a cigar-shaped fish. It has greenish coloration on its upper body and white coloration on its underside, and a small black spot is usually present on its opercle. This species has nine spines and 30 to 34 soft rays on its dorsal fin, and three spines and 26 to 29 soft rays on its anal fin. Round scad often have a yellow stripe that runs from the head to the caudal peduncle. The longest recorded round scad measured 30 centimeters in length, which is very close to the estimated average adult length of 12 inches, or 30.48 centimeters. The heaviest recorded specimen is reported to have weighed 300 grams. Round scad is only found in the Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic, its range extends from Nova Scotia in the north to Rio de Janeiro in the south, and it includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. In the eastern Atlantic, its range extends from Morocco in the north to South Africa in the south, and it includes the islands of Madeira, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Ascension Island, and St. Helena. This fish inhabits the ocean's neritic zone, and is also common near beaches. It is known to form large shoals that gather near the seabed. Round scad feeds mostly on copepods, but it also feeds on pteropods, ostracods, and gastropod larvae. Round scad spawn throughout the year in offshore waters. Their eggs float in pelagic waters before hatching.
