Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Frigate Mackerel Vs Bullet Mackerel

    Uploaded by

    Nirvanajuncture
    27 views8 pages

    Original Title

    Frigate Mackerel vs Bullet Mackerel » NCFishes.com

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    27 views8 pages

    Frigate Mackerel Vs Bullet Mackerel

    Uploaded by

    Nirvanajuncture

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 8

    Frigate Mackerel vs Bullet Mackerel

    ncfishes.com/knowledge-base/frigate-mackerel-vs-bullet-mackerel

    Frigate Mackerel – Auxis thazard

    This article aims to guide you in properly identifying the Frigate Mackerel, Auxis thazard
    thazard, from the almost identical Bullet Mackerel, Auxis rochei rochei. These two
    scombrids are often confused with each other, and with the Little Tunny, Euthynnus
    alletteratus, by everyone from anglers to fisheries professionals. After reading this
    however, you should be able to correctly identify the subtleties that distinguish these
    species from each other.

    Bullet Mackerel – Auxis rochei

    Before we dive into this, we need to take a second to cover some vocabulary.

    Lateral Line:

    This is a system of sensing organs along the sides of fishes that is used to detect vibrations
    in surrounding water. Not all fish have a lateral line, and some have partial, but those that
    do, have a visible line from head to tail along the midline of the body.

    Corselet:
    A band of scales that forms behind the head, and continues along the lateral line toward
    the caudal fin.

    Corselet in light blue


    Unscaled area above corselet in light purple

    Interpelvic Process:

    A fleshy tab located between the pelvic fins of some scombrid fishes.
    Interpelvic Process of a Little Tunny – Outlined in purple

    Little Tunny
    The little tunny can be easily identified by comparing the length of the base of the first
    dorsal fin. Compared to the frigate and the bullet mackerel, the little tunny has a much
    longer first dorsal fin base as evident in the following photograph.
    Top: Little Tunny
    Bottom: Bullet Mackerel

    The space between the first and second dorsal fin in the little tunny is less than the
    diameter of the eye, where the same space in Auxis is many times the diameter of the eye.

    The little tunny also usually has a series of spots under the pectoral fin, where both the
    frigate and bullet mackerel do not. Also, the interpelvic process of Auxis is single, long,
    and narrow, where the little tunny’s process is small and with two lobes.
    Interpelvic Process of a Little Tunny – Euthynnus alletteratus

    Interpelvic Process of a Bullet Mackerel

    Frigate Mackerel vs Bullet Mackerel


    Once you have narrowed your fish down to the genus Auxis, the identification gets easier.
    Our main point of focus will be the scales of the corselet, along the lateral line, and
    specifically the number of scales that comprise the height of the lateral line under the
    second dorsal fin.

    The height of the scaled section of the lateral line, directly under the second dorsal fin is
    no more than five scales in the frigate mackerel, where in the bullet mackerel, the height
    is greater than six scales. This may seem like a trivial and hard to distinguish difference,
    however in practice, this is a quick way to identify these fishes.

    Height of the corselet in a Bullet Mackerel is greater than 6 scales high under the second dorsal fin.
    Height of the corselet in a Frigate Mackerel is Less than 5 scales high under the second dorsal fin.

    Auxis Lateral Line Comparison

    These pictures may not do the difference in height any justice, but rest assured that in the
    field, this difference is obvious.

    Secondly, there is a difference in the position of the unscaled area above the corselet, in
    reference to the pectoral fin. Drawing a vertical line from the anterior margin of the
    unscaled area above the corselet and down will not intersect with the pectoral fin in the
    bullet mackerel, where in the frigate mackerel, it will. Again, this may seem difficult to
    imagine, but in practice is easy to use.

    Notice the overlap of the pectoral fin on the anterior margin of the unscaled area above the corselet.
    Notice the gap between pectoral fin and anterior margin of the unscaled area above the corselet.

    Frigate Mackerel vs Bullet Mackerel Conclusion


    So there you have it, an easy way to identify these 3 commonly caught species with just a
    glance. Remember that no two fish are ever identical, and variation can sometimes lead to
    individuals that don’t follow any of these rules. In the last 6 years I have only encountered
    one fish from this complex that I could not for the life of me identify, so these criteria are
    pretty solid. One mnemonic device you can use is to remember that “frigates are very
    narrow ships”. As silly as this is, when used in reference to the height of the corselet, it
    will help you remember.

    You might also like