Carangidae Rafinesque 1815

Angulo, Arturo, Betts, Joel T., González-Alemán, Néstor J., Castañeda, Edgar, Berghe, Eric Van Den, Elías, Diego J., Mcmahan, Caleb D. & Matamoros, Wilfredo A., 2023, Continental fishes of Nicaragua: diversity, distribution and conservation status; with an annotated and illustrated checklist of species and an identification guide to families, Zootaxa 5376 (1), pp. 1-89 : 44

Family Carangidae Rafinesque 1815 ( Fig. 4B ). Jacks, Amberjacks, Crevalles, Jack-Mackerels, Leatherjackets, Lookdowns, Pilot-Fishes, Pompanos, Scads, Trevallies; Jureles, Palometas, Zapateros, Pámpanos, Cocineros, Jorobados, Orquetas, Hojaranes, Chicharros, Macarelas, Caballas, Casabes, Peces Piloto, Jureles Cuero

Description: Body robust, but generally compressed (ranging from very deep to fusiform); up to 130 cm in length; scales generally cycloid, small, ctenoid in a few species (scales on the posterior portion of the lateral line are usually modified into spiny scutes), naked areas variously developed; up to nine detached finlets sometimes present behind dorsal and anal fins; two dorsal fins in large juveniles and adults, the first one with 4–8 spines (which in a few species are very short and lack a continuous membrane) and the second one with one spine and 17–44 soft rays; usually three anal spines with the first two (rarely only one) detached from the rest of the anal fin and usually 15–39 soft rays; caudal peduncle slender; caudal fin widely forked; generally silvery in color ( Robertson & Allen 2015, Nelson et al. 2016). Distribution: Marine, rarely brackish or freshwaster; Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans (Nelson et al. 2016). Four genera and ten species in Nicaraguan freshwaters.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Families of continental fishes of Nicaragua, part 3; Achiridae (A), Carangidae (B), Cichlidae (C), Pomacentridae (D), Atherinopsidae (E), Rivulidae (F), Poeciliidae (G), Anablepidae (H), Belonidae (I), Hemiramphidae (J), Mugilidae (K), Gobiesocidae (L), Dactyloscopidae (M) and Lutjanidae (N). Illustrations adapted (with permission) from Nelson et al. (2016) and Angulo et al. (2021).