Horse Mackerel (Trachurus)

Description

The Magalaspis Cordyla or Trachurus Trachurus can be widely found in the Indopacific region. Its expanse starts from South Africa in the west to Tonga in the east. The fish usually can be seen in the topmost layers of inshore and offshore ocean waters.

Trachurus Trachurus is known for its torpedo shape and that is why it is also known by the name Torpedo Scad. You can visibly notice its finlets which are seen close to its dorsal and anal fins. The largest species of this fish was known to weigh around 4 kg with a length of 80 centimetres. However, the majority of Trachurus Trachurus found lies in the length range of less than 40 centimetres. The spawning of this breed happens between March and July and due importance is given to its reproductive cycle at that time.

The Trachurus Trachurus is a predatory fish and it avidly feeds on crustaceans and cephalopods amongst others. As this species grows the kind of diet it consumes changes however fish remains a common element. In India and regions surrounding it, the Trachurus Trachurus is given a lot of leverage. This is probably because of interest in its consumption in nearby countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. Often the Trachurus Trachurus is used by Anglers and used as a bait to catch other fish.