Uraspis secunda (Poey, 1860)
Cottonmouth jack
photo by Charteris, M.

Family:  Carangidae (Jacks and pompanos), subfamily: Caranginae
Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 2,040.0 g
Environment:  pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 1 - 50 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Worldwide in warm waters. Western Indian Ocean: Tanzania (Ref. 3287, 3197). Eastern Central Pacific: California, USA to Costa Rica (Ref. 2850). Also in Hawaii. Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Mauritania to Angola (Ref. 7097); also Algoa Bay, South Africa (Ref. 3197).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-32; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 19-23. Adults dark to bluish black; juveniles with 6-7 dark bands with pale interspaces (Ref. 3197).
Biology:  Adults are mostly oceanic and pelagic but sometimes found near the bottom, often near islands. Solitary or in small schools (Ref. 2850).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 August 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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