black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Scomber scombrus Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms: Scomber scomber Bonnatere, 1788; Scomber punctatus Canah, 1857;
Scomber scombrus Smith, 1893; Scomber scombrus Banarascu, 1964
Common names: Engl: Atlantic mackerel; Bulg: Skumrija; Georg: Scumbria,
Makreli; Rom: Scrumbie albastra; Russ: Skumbriya; Turk: Uskumaru baligi; Ukr:
Skumbriya
Order PERCIFORMES
Family SCOMBRIDAE
Taxonomic description. S. scombrus is characterized by an elongate, rounded body,
a pointed snout, a slim caudal peduncle, two dorsal fins. Behind the second dorsal
and the anal fin, five finlets. The two dorsal fins widely separated (interspace at least
equal to the length of the first dorsal fin base); an adipose lid covers the front and hind
edges of the eye; head and the body entirely covered with small scales; 11 to 13
spines in the first dorsal fin; two small keels on each side of the caudal peduncle (at
the base of the caudal fin lobes), but no central keel between them. Colour of the
back brilliant green-blue, often turning to bluish-black on the head; sides metallic,
belly white, series of characteristic dark, curving lines across the back. Size
maximum 50 cm, average 30-35 cm.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level:
Subregion level: EN
Distribution, Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. A schooling
pelagic fish inhabiting cold and temperate waters. Common in most of the western
and central Mediterranean Sea; occasionally entering the Azov Sea; rare in the eastern
Mediterranean. Also in the North Atlantic, from Murmansk to the Canary Islands and
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