About Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier, 1816)
Rastrelliger kanagurta, commonly called the Indian mackerel, has a moderately deep body, with a head longer than the body depth. Its maxilla are partly concealed by the lacrimal bone, and extend approximately to the hind margin of the eye. Thin dark longitudinal bands run along the upper portion of the fish's body, and these bands may appear golden on fresh specimens. A distinct black spot is present on the body near the lower margin of the pectoral fin. The dorsal fins are yellowish with black tips; the caudal and pectoral fins are yellowish, and all remaining fins are dusky. This species reaches a maximum fork length of 35 centimetres (14 in), and most adults are generally around 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long. The Indian mackerel inhabits warm shallow coastal waters of the Indian and Western Pacific oceans. Its full range stretches from the Red Sea and East Africa in the west to Indonesia in the east, and from China and the Ryukyu Islands in the north to Australia, Melanesia and Samoa in the south. It has been recorded twice, in 1967 and 2010, in the Mediterranean Sea off Gaza, and it likely entered this area through the Suez Canal. The Indian mackerel is typically found in shallow coastal waters where surface water temperatures are at least 17 °C (63 °F). Adults occupy coastal bays, harbours, and deep lagoons, and are commonly found in turbid waters that are rich in plankton. Adult Indian mackerel feed on macroplankton, including shrimp and fish larvae.
