Find a Fish
Blue Mackerel
Scomber australasicus Cuvier, 1832
Blue Mackerel at a depth of 19m Korffs Islet, north of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, August 2002. View larger image.
The Blue Mackerel has a fusiform (glossary) body with two widely separated dorsal fins. Both the second dorsal fin and anal fin are followed by five to six finlets. The eyes have adipose (glossary) eyelids that leave a vertical slit over the pupils.
The Blue Mackerel is bluish to greenish above and pale below. It has dark bars on the upper sides and spots below. Young fish have a dark pattern of reticulations on the upper sides that become less distinct as the fish ages.
This species grows to 65cm in length.
It is a schooling pelagic species that occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of the Pacific.
In Australia it is known from marine waters around the entire country but is more common in cooler waters.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
View the Blue Mackerel dissection.
Further reading
- Gomon, M.F. & E.M. Robertson. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992. Pp. 528.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
