Horse mackerel is a vague vernacular term for a range of
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...
of
fish
Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...
throughout the English-speaking world. It is commonly applied to
pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral re ...
es, especially of the
Carangidae
The Carangidae are a family of ray-finned fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, runners, and scads. It is the largest of the six families included within the order Carangiformes. Some authorities classify it as the only family ...
(jack mackerels and scads) family, most commonly those of the
genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
''
Trachurus
Jack mackerels or saurels are marine fish in the genus ''Trachurus'' of the family Carangidae. The name of the genus derives from the Greek words ''trachys'' ("rough") and ''oura'' ("tail"). Some species, such as ''T. murphyi'', are harvested in ...
'' or ''
Caranx
''Caranx'' is a genus of tropical to subtropical marine fishes in the jack family Carangidae, commonly known as jacks, trevallies and kingfishes. They are moderate- to large-sized, deep-bodied fishes which are distinguished from other carangid g ...
''. Species known as "horse mackerel" in one English dialect or another include:
*''Alectis indicus'',
Indian threadfish
The Indian threadfish (''Alectis indica''), also known as the Indian threadfin, diamond trevally, mirror fish or plumed trevally, is a large species of coastal marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The species is widespread in the waters ...
(Malaysia)
*''Caranx crysos'',
blue runner (Guadeloupe, Martinique)
*''Caranx hippos'',
Crevalle jack
The crevalle jack (''Caranx hippos''), also known as the common jack, black-tailed trevally, couvalli jack, black cavalli, jack crevale, or yellow cavalli is a common species of large marine fish classified within the jack family, Carangidae. The ...
(Guyana, India)
*''Megalaspis cordyla'',
torpedo scad (India)
*''Naucrates ductor'',
pilot fish
*''Sarda australis'',
Australian bonito
The Australian bonito, horse mackerel or little bonito, ''Sarda australis'' is a fish of the family Scombridae and is found in eastern Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pac ...
(Australia)
*various
saurel of the Pacific coast of the Americas
*''Selar crumenophthalmus'',
bigeye (India)
*''Trachurus capensis'',
cape horse mackerel (South Africa)
*''Trachurus declivis'',
greenback horse mackerel
The greenback horse mackerel or greenback scad (''Trachurus declivis'') is a species of jack in the family Carangidae, found around western and southern Australia, and around New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island coun ...
(Australia)
*''Trachurus japonicus'',
Japanese horse mackerel (Japan)
*''Trachurus novaezelandiae'',
yellowtail horse mackerel (New Zealand)
*''Trachurus trachurus'',
Atlantic horse mackerel
The Atlantic horse mackerel (''Trachurus trachurus''), also known as the European horse mackerel or common scad, is a species of jack mackerel in the family Carangidae, the jacks, pompanos and trevallies. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocea ...
(United Kingdom, Ireland)
{{Animal common name
Fish common names