The Carangidae are a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.

They are marine fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Most species are fast-swimming predatory fishes that hunt in the waters above reefs and in the open sea; some dig in the sea floor for invertebrates.

The largest fish in the family, the greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili, grows up to 2 m in length; most fish in the family reach a maximum length of 25–100 cm.

The family contains many important commercial and game fish, notably the Pacific jack mackerel, Trachurus symmetricus, and the other jack mackerels in the genus Trachurus.

Many genera have fairly extensive fossil records, particularly Caranx and Seriola, which extend into the early Paleogene (late Thanetian), and are known from whole and incomplete specimens, skeletal fragments, and otoliths. The several extinct genera include Archaeus, Pseudovomer, and Eastmanalepes.

Timeline of genera

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  African Pompano, Alectis ciliaris

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  Island Trevally, Carangoides orthogrammus

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  Giant Trevally, Caranx ignobilis, the largest species in the genus

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  Indian Scad, Decapterus russelli

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  Golden Trevally, Gnathanodon speciosus

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  Golden Trevally, Gnathanodon speciosus

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  Pilotfish, Naucrates ductor

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  Lookdown, Selene vomer

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  Greater Amberjack, Seriola dumerili

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  Japanese Jack Mackerel, Trachurus japonicus

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Carangidae

Wikispecies has information related to: Carangidae

• "Carangidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=168584. Retrieved 20 March 2006.
• Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: p.560. Retrieved 2011-05-19.