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Monterey Spanish Mackerel
The plates for this volume are being prepared; the text is complete.
This species occurs on the coast of California, chiefly in Monterey Bay, where it appears usually in September, disappearing in November. It is never abundant, only a few individuals being seen each season. It attains a length of 30 inches, and a weight of 5 to 8 pounds. It is held in very high esteem as a food-fish, and always brings a high price in market.
Head 5; depth about 4 3/4; eye 5 1/2; D. XVII-16-VIII; A. I. 16-VIII; pectoral 8 in body; teeth about 50 in each jaw. Mouth slightly oblique, the maxillary reaching to posterior edge of pupil; teeth comparatively small, subconic, and little compressed, those on vomer and palatines minute and granular; lateral line slightly wavy, descending obliquely; pectoral inserted rather above axis of body; ventrals small; dorsal spines slender and fragile, the longest 4 in head; dorsal fins separated by an interspace equal to 1/3 length of base of spinous dorsal; caudal shorter than head, its lower lobe the longer; gillrakers long, 18 below the angle. Colour of male, dark steel-blue, sides silvery, without streaks or spots; female with two alternate series of brown spots, the silvery on sides clouded with dusky; fins nearly plain, dark.