Almaco jack | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Carangidae |
Genus: | Seriola |
Species: | S. rivoliana |
Binomial name | |
Seriola rivoliana Valenciennes, 1833 |
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Synonyms | |
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Almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) is a game fish of the family Carangidae; they are in the same family as yellowtail and amberjack. They feed, both day and night, on other smaller fish such as baitfish and small squid. The flesh is thick and dense like tuna and can easily pass for white albacore if prepared as sushi.
Achille Valenciennes, and Georges Cuvier first described the Almaco jack. The description was published in 1833 although Cuvier died in 1832. Valenciennes and Cuvier together described many fish species, most notably in the 22 volume Histoire naturelle des poissons, (Natural History of Fish).
The Almaco jack has a less elongated, more flattened body than most jack species. Their dorsal fin and anal fins are elongated, and their outer edges have a definite sickle shape. The first rays of the Almaco dorsal fin's longest parts are nearly twice as long as the dorsal spines, also different from other jacks.
They reach a typical length of 90 centimetres (35 in), sometimes reaching 160 centimetres (63 in) and 59.9 kilograms (132 lb).
Almaco jacks are generally dusky-colored with faint amber or olive stripes down their sides. Their upper bodies and lower fins are usually dark brown or dark blue-green. The belly is much lighter and appears brassy or lavender. The and most of the fins is dark on adults. Exceptions are the pelvic fins which are white on the sides.