Latin name

Caranx crysos

Other names

Hardtail, hard-tailed jack, runner; French: carangue coubali; Greek: kokali; Italian: carangidi, carangido mediterraneo; Portuguese: carangídeos, xaralete; Spanish: atún, cojinua, cojinúa negra, cojinuda.

Identification

The body is bluish-green to coppery-silver, silvery, or light olive. The upper end of the gill cover has a black, somewhat elongated spot, and the body may have faint bluish streaks. A characteristic feature is a blackish tint on the tips of the tail fins. The fish can be easily distinguished from crevalle jack by the absence of dark blotches on the pectoral fins.

Distribution

In the western Atlantic, they occur from Nova Scotia to Brazil, including the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat

They live in coastal waters in large flocks. Occasionally can be found over reefs, sometimes in pairs or alone. Young fish often stay near sargassum and other floating objects.

Size

This species usually weighs less than 1 pound and reaches 1 foot in length. The world record for all tackle is an 11 pound, 2 ounce fish caught off the coast of Alabama.

Life history and Behavior

Sexual maturity occurs when they reach a length of 9 to 10 feet, spawn in coastal waters from January to August.

Food and feeding habits

Feed mainly on fish, shrimp, squid and other invertebrates.

Reproduction

No information