Greater amberjack

What it is

This fish has an elongated, compressed body covered in small scales. Its colour ranges from brownish-grey on top to silvery-white below. A dark diagonal stripe runs from the snout across the eye. Fins are often dusky, though juveniles display vertical bands. It is the largest member of the jack family, reaching nearly two metres in length. Adults typically measure one metre and weigh significantly less than the maximum recorded eighty kilograms.

Where it lives

It lives in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans worldwide. In the Atlantic, it ranges from Nova Scotia to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. The Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic host populations as far north as the British Isles. In the Indo-Pacific, it occurs from South Africa to Japan and Australia. It inhabits reefs, rocky outcrops, and deep offshore caves. Juveniles sometimes shelter among floating algae far out at sea.

How it lives

Adults are opportunistic predators that hunt other fish, squid, and crustaceans. They often swim in small schools near the seabed or in open water. Younger fish feed on plankton before switching to larger prey as they grow. Larger individuals prefer deeper waters, while smaller ones stay in shallow coastal areas. Predators include tuna, hake, and seabirds. Parasites such as tapeworms and gill flukes occasionally infest them.

Breeding and life cycle

Males and females are separate sexes with no external differences other than size. They mature between three and five years of age depending on the region. Spawning occurs over reefs and wrecks during warmer months. In the western Atlantic, peaks happen in spring, while Mediterranean fish spawn in summer. A single female can release millions of eggs. Embryos hatch within two days, and larvae develop into juveniles over a month.

Fish and people

Anglers value this species for its powerful resistance, earning it the nickname reef donkey. Commercial fisheries catch it for fresh meat, which is fried, grilled, or used in sushi. Aquaculture operations in the Mediterranean have farmed it since the nineteen eighties. Sustainability concerns exist because farming requires fish-based feed. It is often caught incidentally by those targeting snappers or groupers on the seabed.

Relatives and look-alikes

It belongs to the genus Seriola and is the type species. It is often confused with Seriola carpenteri off the west African coast. Other common names include yellowtail and allied kingfish, which may refer to related jacks. It is distinct from smaller amberjack species due to its substantial size and specific stripe patterns.

Questions people ask about Greater amberjack

Good reading and sources

• Greater amberjack on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data