Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fisheries and

for a world without hunger Aquaculture Department

Species Fact Sheets

Trachurus trecae (Cadenat, 1949)

Trachurus trecae: (click for more)

Trachurus trecae: (click for more)

Synonyms
Caranx trecae Furnestin et al, 1958: 443
Trachurus trachurus trecae Sanches, 1966: 69.

FAO Names
En - Cunene horse mackerel, Fr - Chinchard du Cunène, Sp - Jurel de Cunene.
3Alpha Code: HMZ Taxonomic Code: 1702300414

Diagnostic Features
Body elongate, fairly compressed. Head large; posterior end of upper jaw reaching anterior margin of eye;
lower jaw projected. Maxilla large, wide, not covered by lachrymal. Adipose eyelid well developed. Small
nostrils closely situated each other, anterior nostril oval and posterior nostril crescent. A distinct notch on
posterior margin of opercle. Dorsal accessory lateral line terminating below spines 1-6 of dorsal fin. Gillrakers,
including rudiments, 37-45 on lower limb of first gill arch. Shoulder girdle (cleithrum) margin smooth, without
papillae. First dorsal fin with 8 spines and I + 28-33. Anal fin with I + 24-29 preceded by 2 strong spines.
Pelvic fin (I,5) moderate in size, originating below end of pectoral fin base. Scales in curved lateral line 35-43,
expanded dorsolaterally and scute-like; in straight lateral line 33-38 scutes; total scales and scutes 71-78.
Colour no distinctive markings except for a small black opercular spot on edge near upper angle. Upper part of
body and top of head dusky to nearly black or grey to bluish green; lower two thirds of body and head usually
paler, whitish to silvery.

Geographical Distribution

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Eastern central Atlantic, reported from Morocco (rare); generally along African coast from Mauritania to
Angola.

Habitat and Biology

Bentopelagic (a schooling species). Usually occuring near bottom (15°-22° C)between 20 and 100 m
depths;also sometimes pelagic and near surface at times.Feeds primarily on crustaceans.

Size
Maximum attains, at least 35 cm fork length; but unconfirmed reports indicate maximum total length up to 80
cm.

Interest to Fisheries
The catch of this species reported from the area in 1977 totalled about 207.000 t (U.S.S.R. only). The total
catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 81 692 t. The countries with the largest catches were
Angola (47 719 t) and Russian Federation (33 973 t). Caught commercially with pelagic trawl and bottom
trawl and purse seines, traps and on line gear.
Utilized fresh, frozen, dried salted, canned and smoked.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department

 Global Capture Production for species (tonnes)
Source: FAO FishStat
400k

200k

0k
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Trachurus trecae

Local Names
Arabic : Chourou azraq , Esfer moussata .
English : Smallscale scad .
French : Chinchard bleu , Gascon , Saurel , Severau .
Greek : Mavrosavrido .
Italian : Sugarello pittato , Suro .
Pla : Kezin-kezin .
Polish : Ostrobok afrykanski .
Serbo-Croat : Sarun , Snjorgolemi .
Spanish : Chicharro .

Bibliography
Fischer, W.; G. Bianchi; W. B. Scott (eds.). - 1981Fiches FAO d'identification des espèces pour les besoins de
la pêche. Atlantique centre-est; zones de pêche 34, 47 (en partie). Canada Fonds de Dépôt. Ottawa, Ministère
des Pêcheries et Océans Canada, en accord avec l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'Alimentation et
l'Agriculture, Vol. 1-7: pag. var.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2003. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org
Smith-Vaniz, W. F. - 1986 Carangidae. In: P.J.P. Whitehead et al., (eds.). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic
and the Mediterranean (FNAM). Unesco, Paris, vol. II: 815-844.
Smith-Vaniz, W. F., J.C. Quéro & M. Desoutter. - 1990 Carangidae. In: J.C. Quero et al., (eds.) Check-list of
the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). Unesco, Portugal, vol. II: 729-755.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department