The Mackerels
Body elongate, fusiform, not much compressed, covered with minute, cycloid scales, those anteriorly forming a corselet; lateral line undulate; head subconic, pointed anteriorly; mouth rather large, premaxillaries not protractile; no supplemental maxillary bone; jaws with sharp teeth; preopercle entire; opercle unarmed; gill-openings very wide, the membranes not united, free from the isthmus; pseudobranchiae large; branchiostegals 7; dorsal fins 2, the first of rather weak spines, depressible in a groove, the second similar to the anal, the elevated anterior lobe always distinct; anal spines weak; last rays of dorsal and anal detached and separate, forming in each case a series of finlets; caudal peduncle extremely slender, keeled, the caudal lobes abruptly divergent and falcate, the fin adapted for rapid motion; ventral fins 1, 5, thoracic and well developed; lower pharyngeals separate; stomach sac-shaped; pyloric coeca numerous; air-bladder small, sometimes absent. Colouration, metallic, often brilliant, the prevailing shade steel-blue.
Common Mackerel Scomber scombrus Linnaeus
Chub Mackerel; Tinker Mackerel Scomber japonicus Houttuyn- Chub Mackerel; Tinker Mackerel — Part 2 Scomber japonicus Houttuyn
- Chub Mackerel; Tinker Mackerel — Part 3 Scomber japonicus Houttuyn
- Chub Mackerel; Tinker Mackerel — Part 4 Scomber japonicus Houttuyn
- Monterey Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus concolor (Lockington)
Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus (Mitchill)- Mexican Sierra Scomberomorus sierra Jordan & Starks
Sierra; Pintado; Kingfish Scomberomorus regalis (Bloch)