New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Tropical 🎣 Game Fish

Yellowtail scad

Atule mate Cuvier, 1833
Max Length
30 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
4.2
Depth
1–80 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
18.00/100
Typical Length
26 cm
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Adults inhabit mangroves and coastal bays in pelagic waters . They form schools to about 50 m in inshore waters , or singly . Are mainly diurnal. They feed mainly on crustaceans and planktonic invertebrates such as copepods, including cephalopods . They swim fast in midwater in pursuit of zooplankton .

Scientific Name
Atule mate
Authority
Cuvier, 1833
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
30 cm
Depth Range
1–80 m
Latitude
35°S – 35°N
Trophic Level
4.2
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
18.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 - 25; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. This species is distinguished by the following characters: adipose eyelid well developed and completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centred on pupil; shoulder girdle (cleithrum) margin smooth, without papillae; terminal dorsal and anal rays finlet-like in adults, about twice length of adjacent rays and a little more separated but joined by interradial membrane; lateral line gently arched anteriorly, with junction of curved and straight parts below vertical from sixth to eighth soft rays of second dorsal fin; scales in curved part of lateral line 39 to 57; straight part with 0 to 10 scales and 36 to 49 scutes; a black spot, slightly smaller than eye, on upper margin of opercle and adjacent area of shoulder; dorsal and caudal fins dusky greenish yellow; anal fin pale yellow . : fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Yellowtail scad is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Yellowtail scad is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Yellowtail scad is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 80 m . Tropical; 35°N - 35°S, 24°E - 135°W east coast of Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and Samoa, north to Japan (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌿 Brackish 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
4.2±0.5
🐠 Schooling
Food Items

crustaceans and planktonic invertebrates such as copepods, including cephalopods (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01318 × L2.97 (TL)
Max TL
30cm
Dorsal Spines
9
Dorsal Rays
24
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
20

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2015

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
18.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.2
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
35°N – 35°S
Described By
Cuvier, 1833

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Barred Yellowtail Scad · deep trevally · Northern Yellowtail Scad · Yellow-tail Scad · Yellowtail scad
🇸🇦Arabic Bukko · Hammam · Jinnes · Yaneeser · نيزكة أصفر الذّيل
🌍CES kranas mangrovový
🇫🇷French Carangue à queue jaune · Carangue maté · Sélar queue jaune
🇯🇵Japanese Mateaji · マテアジ
🌍MSA Jamah
🇵🇹Portuguese Carapau-de-cauda-amarela
🇷🇺Russian Атуле
🇪🇸Spanish Jurel Rabo Amarillo
🌍TAM Parai · கிளிசை · குமாரபரை · சீமபாரை · தேங்கா பாரை · வென்னை பாரை
🌍THA ปลาสีกุนทอง
🇨🇳Chinese 游鰭葉鰺

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Alepes mate Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Atule mute Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Carangus politus Jenkins 1903 Synonym
Caranx affinis Rüppell 1836 Synonym
Caranx hasseltii Bleeker 1851 Synonym
Caranx mate Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Caranx xanthurus Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Decapterus fasciatus Bleeker 1872 Synonym
Decapterus lundini Jordan & Seale 1906 Synonym
Decapterus normani Bertin & Dollfus 1948 Synonym
Decapterus politus Jenkins 1903 Synonym
Selar affinis Rüppell 1836 Synonym
Selar hasseltii Bleeker 1851 Synonym
Selar mate Cuvier 1833 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 27 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Yellowtail scad ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.