Sealife guideThe bluefin trevallyCaranx melampygus

Taxonomy

Common name: Bluefin trevally
French name: Carangue bleue, carangue étoilée
Spanish name: Jurel de aleta azul
Scientific name: Caranx melampygus (Cuvier, 1833)
Family name: Carangidae
Order name: Carangiformes
Class name: Actinopterygii

Description

The bluefin trevally is distinguished by its bright metallic blue color. Its body is elongated and laterally compressed.

The bluefin trevally is distinguished by its bright metallic blue color © Marco Lijoi | Dreamstime.com

The bluefin trevally is an impressive-sized fish, generally ranging between 12 and 24 inches in length, with some specimens easily reaching up to 35 inches.

Range

The bluefin trevally inhabits the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

In the Indian ocean, the bluefin trevally is found along the coasts of East Africa, the Red sea, the western Indian ocean and the islands of the Indian ocean like the Seychelles, Madagascar and the Maldives.

In the Pacific ocean, the bluefin trevally is present across a vast area extending from the South Pacific islands, Australia and New Zealand to the Hawaiian islands.

Habitat

The bluefin trevally frequents coastal waters, coral reefs, and rocky areas. It often swims in small groups or schools.

The bluefin trevally often swims in small groups or schools © Marco Lijoi | Dreamstime.com

The bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus) © Stephankerkhofs | Dreamstime.com

Diet

The bluefin trevally is carnivorous, feeding primarily on small fish, crustaceans and cephalopods.

Did you know ?

Due to its impressive size and fighting spirit when hooked, the bluefin trevally is highly prized by sport fishing enthusiasts.

The bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus) © Andamanse | Dreamstime.com

The bluefin trevally is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The bluefin trevally appears in the IUCN Red List since 2016 within the category Least Concern !

Within the same genus

Bigeye trevally
(Caranx sexfasciatus)

Giant trevally
(Caranx ignobilis)

Bar jack
(Caranx ruber)

Blue runner
(Caranx crysos)

Crevalle jack
(Caranx hippos)

Horse-eye jack
(Caranx latus)

Within the same family

African Pompano
(Alectis ciliaris)

Orangespotted trevally
(Carangoides bajad)

Lookdown
(Selene vomer)

Indian threadfish
(Alectis indica)

Rainbow runner
(Elagatis bipinnulata)

Leerfish
(Lichia amia)

Rudderfish
(Naucrates ductor)

Steel pompano
(Trachinotus stilbe)

Explore also

Pictus blenny
(Ecsenius pictus)

Blackspotted rubberlips
(Plectorhinchus gaterinus)

Suez fusilier
(Caesio suevica)

Jansen's wrasse
(Thalassoma jansenii)

Blacktip sandgoby
(Fusigobius melacron)

Smallmouth grunt
(Haemulon chrysargyreum)

Lyretail hogfish
(Bodianus anthioides)

Peppered butterflyfish
(Chaetodon guttatissimus)

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