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

🌊 Marine Vulnerable 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Tropical 🎣 Game Fish

Short mackerel

Rastrelliger brachysoma Bleeker, 1851
Max Length
34.5 cm
Max Weight
Lifespan
2 yrs
Trophic Level
2.7
Depth
15–200 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
18.00/100
Typical Length
20 cm
Depth Zone
pelagic

📖 Overview

An epipelagic, neritic species that tolerates slightly reduced salinities in estuarine habitats and in areas where surface temperature range between 20° and 30°C. It forms schools of equally sized individuals. Batch spawning is believed to extend from March through September. Feeds chiefly on microzooplankton with a high phytoplankton component. Marketed fresh, frozen, canned, dried salted and smoked .

Scientific Name
Rastrelliger brachysoma
Authority
Bleeker, 1851
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
VU
Max Length
34.5 cm
Lifespan
2 years
Depth Range
15–200 m
Latitude
18°S – 18°N
Trophic Level
2.7
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
18.00/100
Migration
Oceanodromous
Water Temp
20–30 °C
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12; Vertebrae: 31. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body very deep, its depth at posterior margin of opercle 3.7-4.3 times in fork length; head equal to or less than body depth; maxilla covered by lacrimal bone but extending nearly to end of lacrimal; gill rakers very long, visible when mouth is opened, 30-48 on lower limb of first gill arch; numerous bristles on longest gill raker, about 150 on one side in specimens of 12.7 cm, 210 in specimens of 16 cm, and 240 at 19 cm fork length; intestine very long, 3.2-3.6 times fork length; snout pointed; swim bladder present; vertebrae 13 + 18 = 31; interpelvic process small and single; anal spine rudimentary. Colour of spinous dorsal fin yellowish with a black edge, pectoral and pelvic fins dusky, other fins yellowish .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Short mackerel is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Short mackerel is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Size at Maturity
17.3cm TL

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous ; depth range 15 - 200 m . Tropical; 20°C - 30°C ; 18°N - 18°S, 93°E - 180°E Pacific Ocean: Andaman Sea to Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Fiji.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌿 Brackish 🐟 Pelagic
Migration
Oceanodromous
Trophic Level
2.7±0.3
🐠 Schooling

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00955 × L3.06 (TL)
Max TL
34.5cm
Max FL
20cm
Dorsal Spines
10
Dorsal Rays
12
Anal Rays
12
Vertebrae
31

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Temperature Range
20–30°C
Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Vulnerable
Assessment Date
2022

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
18.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
2.7
Omnivore / Planktivore
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
18°N – 18°S
Described By
Bleeker, 1851

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English short mackerel · Short-bodied Mackerel · shortbodied mackerel
🇫🇷French maquereau trapu
🇯🇵Japanese A Gurukuma
🇵🇹Portuguese Cavala-curta · Cavala-do-Indico
🇪🇸Spanish caballa rechoncha

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Rastrelliger neglectus van Kampen 1907 Synonym
Rastrellinger brachysoma Bleeker 1851 Synonym
Rastrilleger brachysoma Bleeker 1851 Synonym
Scomber brachypomus Bleeker 1851 Synonym
Scomber brachysoma Bleeker 1851 Synonym
Scomber neglectus van Kampen 1907 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 23 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 Short mackerel ↗
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.