Fairly common along temperate and subtropical
continental coasts along deep reefs and banks, specimens are extremely
rare in Hawaii. Green above with yellow lateral stripe and fins.
Scutes absent. Attains 5 feet & 115 pounds. Excellent food
and game fish. Genetic study determined that
Seriola lalandi is a three-species complex of geographically
isolated species, S. lalandi in the Southern Hemisphere, S.
aureovittata in East Asia, and S. dorsalis in the
Northeast Pacific.
I suspect that fish from the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands are of Japanese origin, while Main Hawaiian Island specimens are
either Japanese or Mexican, depending on large-scale current
oscillations. This is based upon observations of non-Hawaiian fish
species around the Hawaiian Islands, namely Japanese species at
Kure and Midway atoll, and Mexican species from the Main Hawaiian
Islands. These waif species events tend to occur on different
years, not simultaneously, with the waifs eventually disappearing
without establishing breeding populations, with the exception of Spotted
Knifejaws and Finescale Triggerfishes at opposite ends of the
archipelago. |