Dream Interpretation of Udilova 

A school of horse mackerel belongs to which group. Horse mackerel Black Sea fish. Description, features and habitat of horse mackerel. Which is healthier: freshwater or sea fish?

Several decades ago, horse mackerel was widely known, widespread and popular, but then it almost disappeared from the shelves and undeservedly became half-forgotten. Therefore, it is worth getting to know her again and sorting it out. Wikipedia and the reference book on ichthyology say that the ray-finned horse mackerel sea ​​fish from the order Perch and the horse mackerel family.

What kind of animal is horse mackerel?

This fish a small body full of swiftness, starting with a pointed head and ending with a thin base of the tail, similar in shape to a weaving shuttle or spindle, slightly flattened on the sides. On her body are small fins and a sharply defined forked tail, similar to the feathers of an arrow. From Latin, the scientific name of horse mackerel, Trachurus, literally means rough tail.

This fish is not large, on average 30–50 cm long, weighing on average 400–500 grams; individuals up to 60 cm in length and weighing more than 1.5 kg are very rarely found. Its back is dark, gray with a blue tint, its belly is almost white, pearlescent. In schools swimming in sea water, in the photo this fish looks like a glare of light, its small scales are so mirror-like. She has rather large eyes and a large predatory mouth.

Horse mackerel is a full-fledged predator. All the contours of its body indicate that this fish is not one of those who lazily lies at the bottom, waiting for the gaping food to come on its own. She lives in flocks, migrates often and far, and feeds small crustaceans, invertebrates, and even small fellows like anchovies.

At the same time, this small fish is itself food for larger predators, so it is not surprising that the fish’s body is equipped with protection: the ventral fins have sharp spines, and, characteristic of this breed of fish, the lateral line is covered with sharp bony scutes with spines. This fish is not accustomed to familiarity, so you need to handle it carefully so as not to get hurt.

Habitat and production of horse mackerel

Prefers to live in shallow depths, from 50 to 100 meters, sometimes deeper, but not more than 300 meters, usually in the coastal shelf areas of continents in many seas of the world: the Mediterranean, Black, Northern, Atlantic, Pacific (East China Sea) and Indian seas oceans.

Horse mackerel is very widespread in warm seas; it can be found, especially due to seasonal migration, off the coast of South America, Argentina, and Africa.

Varieties of commercial species

Science knows about one and a half hundred varieties of mackerel, however, not all of them are commercial.

Several varieties are known, the main ones in production; their names also include several varieties:

Horse mackerel in cooking

The most famous and widespread types of this fish on the counter are ordinary and Black Sea.

The calorie content of this fish is low, only 114 kcal per 100 grams, and its taste deserves great attention.

Horse mackerel meat is juicy, with a pleasant, special taste. The fat content of this fish is low, lower than that of mackerel, but higher than, for example, cod. In addition, horse mackerel does not have small bones, like herring, for example. Therefore, for culinary specialists this fish is valuable both for its convenience and variety of cooking methods.

You can buy horse mackerel for culinary experiments chilled or frozen. In any case, you can and should prepare a lot of dishes from it, and for long-term storage you can freeze it.

Cooking methods:

But this fish has earned respect and popularity not only for its variety of dishes, but also for its properties.

Useful properties and nutritional value of horse mackerel

First of all It should be noted that the meat of this fish is low in fat, so boiled horse mackerel, which has a low calorie content, is a valuable dietary product, including when following a diet to reduce weight. In particular, horse mackerel is recommended for diabetics for weight loss.

Horse mackerel contains various vitamins (vitamins B, PP, A, C, E and others), microelements, polyunsaturated fatty acid Omega 3:

  • the phosphorus contained in this product helps improve brain function, relieves lethargy, and improves the functioning of neurons;
  • iodine improves metabolism and supports thyroid function;
  • iron, zinc, manganese participate in metabolism, supporting the body's defenses;
  • Omega 3 improves the condition of blood vessels and skin, protects against cardiovascular diseases.

Restrictions and contraindications

In addition to being beneficial, any product can be harmful.

First of all, horse mackerel, like other types of fish, Contraindicated for those who have food allergies to fish and seafood.

Besides, due to the fact that this fish lives in coastal areas warm seas at shallow depths, it can accumulate harmful elements from polluted waters, in particular mercury. Mercury affects the development of the nervous system and its development, therefore these types of fish are highly not recommended for young children, pregnant and lactating mothers.

When cooking, be sure to remove its head. It is in the head and gills that the main accumulation occurs harmful substances, so the heads should be thrown away without being used in any form.






Horse mackerels have two dorsal fins: the first is spiny, small, with weak or short spiny rays, the second dorsal is long. The anal fin is long. Some species have one or several additional fins behind the second dorsal and anal fins. In front of the anal fin there are two separate spines, sometimes connected by a membrane to each other or to the fin (sometimes they can be hidden under the skin). The tail stalk is thin. Side line in some species it is armed with bony scutes. The family includes more than 20 genera with 200 species of marine fish living in tropical, subtropical or temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans and adjacent seas. Many are of great importance in fishing.



Most widely distributed clan of horse mackerel(Trachurus), which includes more than 10 species. Species belonging to it are found mainly in the subtropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans and the adjacent seas, both in the northern and southern hemispheres. Horse mackerels of this genus have an elongated body, slightly laterally compressed. The lateral line is armed with bony scutes along its entire length. The scutes, located on the back straight part of the lateral line, have spines directed backwards. The head is covered with scales, and the eyes have fatty eyelids. Small teeth on the jaws, vomer and palatine bones.


In the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, as well as in the Northern and Western parts Baltic Sea lives common horse mackerel(Trachurus trachurus). Two subspecies of common horse mackerel are also common off the western shores South Africa and off the coast of Argentina. Common horse mackerel is a schooling pelagic fish, reaching a length of 50 cm. Much smaller individuals are usually found. The lifespan of common horse mackerel is up to 9 years. Horse mackerel adheres to the continental shelf zone, occasionally reaching the depth slope. In the water column, on the surface or at the bottom, it forms powerful accumulations, convenient for fishing with various fishing gear. Horse mackerel feeds on zooplankton, small fish, sometimes benthic or benthic invertebrates (shrimp). In temperate waters, horse mackerel spawns only in warm time of the year, in the subtropics and tropics spawning occurs almost all year round. In the North Sea, off South Africa and Australia, horse mackerel makes seasonal migrations, moving with the onset of cold weather to warmer areas. They hunt for common horse mackerel using fixed and purse seines, bottom and mid-water trawls. Its commercial value is very great. In the Black Sea, common horse mackerel is rare, in single specimens.


Off the eastern shores Atlantic Ocean, from the Bay of Biscay to Cape Verde, in the Mediterranean and Black Seas lives Mediterranean horse mackerel(Trachurus mediterraneus). Within its range, the Mediterranean horse mackerel forms a number of sharply localized herds, differing in the size of the individuals included in them. Its biology is very similar to that of common horse mackerel. It is also of great commercial importance and is caught using the same fishing gear as the previous species. Black Sea horse mackerel is considered a special subspecies (T. mediterraneus ponticus), and two of its forms are distinguished: the usual - small, up to 20 cm in length, and the southern - large, up to 55 cm. Its spawning occurs along all the shores of the Black Sea from May to August, mainly in June, at a water temperature of 17-23° C. Horse mackerel feeds mainly on small fish and crustaceans. IN winter time descends to the slopes of pits, to a depth of 30 to 80-100 m, feeding almost or not at all. Horse mackerel is one of the main commercial fish of the Black Sea.


In the South-West Atlantic, off the coast of Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Northern Argentina, as well as in the South-West Pacific, off the coast of South Australia and New Zealand, it is widespread southern horse mackerel(T. declivis), an important commercial target for local fishing. Accumulations of this horse mackerel off the coast of South America are very large.


In the Pacific Ocean, off the Asian coast, lives Japanese horse mackerel(T. japonicus), especially numerous in the waters of Southern Japan, Korea and the East China Sea. IN autumn time it is also found sporadically off the coast of Primorye. To the south it reaches the South China Sea.


There are several other species of mackerel of the genus Trachurus in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Their biology is very similar, they all form large schools and play one role or another in fishing.


Very widespread in the tropics of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans genus Ten-finned, or Cigar, horse mackerel(Decapterus). In appearance, ten-finned mackerel are very similar to representatives of the genus Trachurus. The most characteristic distinguishing feature of the genus is the additional fins, located one behind the second dorsal and anal fins. The body of ten-finned horse mackerel is slightly compressed laterally, almost round in cross-section. The lateral line is armed with scutes along the posterior straight part. The mouth is terminal, small teeth are located on the jaws, vomer, palatine bones and usually on the tongue.


In the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa, it lives tall ten perch(Decapterus ronchus). This is a medium-sized horse mackerel (length up to 35 cm), living in the pelagic zone within the shelf zone. Its coloration is typical of pelagic fish: a dark, olive-brown back and silvery sides and belly. There is a dark spot at the end of the operculum. On the sides there is one lemon-yellow wide longitudinal stripe. In the tropics of the Atlantic Ocean, both in the eastern and western parts, a smaller species is common - round ten-finned horse mackerel(Decapterus punctatus). She has a more runny body. The yellow stripe on the sides is less pronounced. As in the previous species, there is a dark spot on the edge of the gill cover. Both species are massive schooling fish, often forming large aggregations, sometimes shared with other species of horse mackerel and mackerel. Widely distributed in the Indian Ocean Indian ten perch(D. russelii), off the western shores of the Pacific Ocean - Japanese ten perch(D. maruadsi) and several other species of ten-fin mackerel.


If ten-finned mackerel have one additional fin, then mackerel mackerel(Megalaspis codyla), like mackerel and tuna, has 6-10 small additional fins in the upper and lower parts of the caudal peduncle. The body shape of mackerel mackerel is slender and torpedo-shaped. The caudal stem is long and narrow. The lateral line in the posterior, straight part is armed with bony scutes with spines directed backwards, forming a sharp longitudinal keel. The pectoral fins are long, sickle-shaped, reaching the end of the base of the second dorsal fin. The coloring of mackerel mackerel is typical of pelagic fish: a dark back with a blue-green tint, silvery sides, and a white belly. There is a small dark spot on the gill cover. They reach a length of 50 cm. Mackerel mackerel is distributed throughout tropical zone Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, from East Africa to the Philippine Islands, Southern China and Eastern Australia.


This is a massive schooling fish, schools of which usually stay on the shelf both in the bottom layers and in the water column, often together with tenfin mackerel and Indian mackerel. It is caught by trawls, purse seines, and in the coastal zone by fixed seines. Its meat has excellent taste.


Very widespread in the tropics of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans big-eyed horse mackerel, or selar(Selar crumenophthalmus). These rather large fish (up to 60 cm in length) have an elongated body, slightly compressed laterally. The eyes are large, which gave rise to the Russian name “big-eyed horse mackerel.” Small conical teeth are located on the jaws, vomer and palatine bones. The scales are quite large, enlarged on the caudal peduncle in the form of plates with a weak ridge. Well developed fatty eyelid. The two spines in front of the anal fin are well developed and connected by a membrane. Selar is a massive schooling pelagic fish that lives mainly on the shelf. In the northern parts of its range it makes seasonal migrations, appearing off the coast in the warm season. An important trawl fishery in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwestern coast of Africa. It has some commercial importance in the Indian and Pacific oceans.


In the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean and Black Seas it lives clan of Lichia(Lichia), numbering several species. Dashing animals are characterized by a relatively tall, elongated, laterally compressed body. The spiny dorsal fin has 7 weak short spines, not connected by a membrane in adults. In front of the spiny dorsal fin there is a spine directed forward, not hidden in the skin. The scales are small. The lateral line is strongly curved, not armed with scutes. Small bristle-like teeth on the jaws, palatine bones, vomer and tongue.


In the Eastern Atlantic, from southern shores Europe to the Cape of Good Hope, in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Africa north to Natal, in the Mediterranean and occasionally in the Black Sea. common fever(Lichia amia). This big fish, reaching a length of 1 m. Usually smaller individuals are observed in catches, not exceeding 50-60 cm. They adhere exclusively to the continental shelf zone. Lives both in the water column and in the bottom layers. Usually forms small shoals. It is caught by trawls, longlines and fishing rods. Lichia meat has exceptionally high taste qualities and is a good raw material for the production of canned food. In the area of ​​​​North-West Africa, a smaller species is caught - striped fever(Lichia vadigo). The length of this lichiya is usually less than 50 cm. It is hunted mainly in the Cape Verde region and Angola in November - February.


About 10 species live in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans seriola, or yellowtail(genus Seriola). Serioles have an oblong, slightly laterally compressed torpedo-shaped body, covered with small scales. There are no bony scutes on the lateral line. The caudal peduncle has a leathery longitudinal keel. The first spiny dorsal fin is short and has several spines connected by a membrane. The soft dorsal and anal fins are long. A forward-facing spine is visible in front of the first dorsal fin. Serioles are large pelagic schooling fish of great commercial importance.


They live on both shores of the tropical Atlantic large serioles, or coronado(S. lalandi, S. dumerili), reaching a length of 180 cm and a weight of 50 kg. They have a spiny dorsal fin with 6-7 spines. The color of the back is light green. Steel colored sides. The belly is silvery-white. Along the sides, from the gill cover to the caudal fin, there is a longitudinal light yellow stripe. Large serioles are pelagic fish, staying mainly on the shelf and in the zone of deep decline. They lead a predatory lifestyle. They form small, but sometimes quite dense schools. Off the coast of West Africa, they are caught using hook fishing gear (rods, longlines) together with tuna and other tuna fishery objects. Occasionally they are caught in bottom trawls.


Both types of large serioles are very widespread in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, up to Australia, China, and Japan. One of them (S. dumerili) is of great commercial importance in the waters of China, Korea, and Japan. It is also found in the Mediterranean Sea, where it is valued as a commercial fish. Its usual dimensions in these areas are up to 90-100 cm in length and 20-30 kg in weight.


The second species (S. lalandi) is absent from the Mediterranean Sea, but is distributed, in addition to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, both in the west and in the east of the Pacific Ocean. It is fished both in Japan and especially off the coast of California and Mexico, where it is highly valued as a commercial and sport fish.


In Cuba, there were cases when eating the meat of large serioles caused severe poisoning - ciguatera, just like when eating large barracudas.


A purely Western Atlantic species is striped seriola(S. zonata), found everywhere from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico. Its dimensions do not exceed 90 cm.


On our shores Far East in the waters of Primorye and Southern Sakhalin there are two species of seriola - golden lakedra(S. aureovittata) and yellowtail(S. quinqueradiata). Golden lacewing reaches a length of 1-2 m, yellowtail - up to 1 m. The meat of the yellowtail (called "buri" by the Japanese) is highly prized, and the fish is of great commercial importance in Japan.


All of the listed yellowtail species lead a very similar lifestyle. These are large pelagic predators that live in the area of ​​the continental shelf or landfall and form small but rather dense concentrations in the water column. In small groups they hunt for small fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies, etc.)” At the same time, schools of yellowtails often move very quickly from one area to another. All species of yellowtail are caught commercially, mainly using hook fishing gear. Some species are targets of purse seine and bottom trawl fisheries. In Japan, Seriola fry are successfully raised in areas of the sea fenced off with nets.

If the majority of horse mackerel, even pelagic ones, are, to one degree or another, confined to the continental shelf in their distribution, then pilot(Naucrates ductor) - typical pelagic fish open seas and oceans. It is very widespread in the subtropical and tropical zones of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, and is occasionally found in the Black Sea. The pilot has an oblong, somewhat ridged body, slightly compressed laterally. The spiny dorsal fin consists of 4 small spines not connected by a membrane. In young specimens, these spines are usually connected by a membrane. The scales are small, cycloid. The lateral line is not armed with bony scutes. The caudal peduncle has a well-defined longitudinal leathery keel on each side. The color of the pilot's back is blue-green, the sides are grayish with 5 - 7 dark transverse wide stripes extending to the unpaired fins. The tips of the caudal fin are often white.


The most interesting feature of a pilot's life is his attachment to large sharks, dolphins, turtles and ships, near which he usually stays. Calculations by physicists show that pilots at high speeds of shark movement can use a friction layer adjacent directly to the surface of the shark’s body for passive movement. In the boundary layer of friction near the surfaces of ships, the movement of pilots is ensured even better. Thanks to the attractive forces in the friction layer, the pilot does not break away from the shark or the ship, but moves forward at their speed, without spending much effort.



Pilots never form large schools; they usually accompany a shark or ship in a small group of several. Maximum size an adult specimen is 50-60 cm, usually their length does not exceed 30 cm. They have no commercial significance.


Pelagic fish of the open ocean are also elagate(Elagatis bipinnulatus), distributed in the tropical waters of three oceans, with the exception of only the eastern Pacific Ocean. Elagat is a very beautiful, fast, large fish of the ocean, reaching a length of 120-150 cm, with a slender torpedo-shaped body, a conical head and a forked caudal fin. The el-gat's back is bright blue, with a yellow stripe running along its side, bordered by blue stripes on top and bottom. Behind the dorsal and anal fins there is a small additional fin. Elagat meat is very tasty.


Richest in species genus Karanksa, or Karanga(Sagaph), whose representatives inhabit the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Caranxes are characterized by an oval or oblong-oval shape of the body, rather strongly compressed from the sides. The chest area is bare or covered, like the rest of the body, with small scales. The lateral line is strongly curved. The last third of the lateral line arch and its posterior straight segment are armed with bony scutes, most strongly developed on the caudal peduncle. The scutes located on the caudal peduncle have strong, sharp spines directed backwards. The spiny dorsal fin has several weak spines connected by a membrane. The soft dorsal fin is long. Both dorsal fins can be retracted into a groove on the back.


Caranxes They live, as a rule, on the shelf at depths of less than 100 m. Some of the trevally are benthic species, others also live in the water column. They lead a mainly predatory lifestyle; some small species also eat benthic and benthic invertebrates. Caranx do not form large flocks, but usually stay in small schools both on soft muddy soils and in areas with shell rock and rocky soils.


Most trevally are of commercial importance, but there are also poisonous species. Jellies are caught using fixed and cast seines in the coastal zone, trawls and hooks in areas remote from the coast.


Widely distributed in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa and Central America. golden trevally(S. crysos). These are tall-bodied fish whose entire body, including the chest, is covered with scales. The eyes are big. The tail stalk is thin. The color of the back is olive, the sides are golden yellow. The cheeks in the lower part have a yellowish tint. The unpaired fins are gray with white tips. Immature specimens usually have 9 transverse dark wide stripes on their sides. They reach a length of 40 cm and a weight of 2-2.5 kg. This is an important commercial species caught in the western Atlantic Ocean using set seines. The most intensive fishing takes place from January to April, when this type comes very close to the shores. Off the coast of Africa it is caught mainly with hooks.


One of the largest trevally is found off the western coast of Africa and in the Gulf of Mexico - big jack(C. hippos), often reaching a length of 1 g and a weight of 20 kg. It differs from the described species in having a more receding body shape and a steeper forehead. It is most often found in small flocks near the coast. It is obtained mainly by fishing rods and trolls. Largest quantity caught in the Gulf of Guinea.


From Senegal to Cameroon, the Eastern Atlantic is home to quite numerous Senegalese trevally(C. senegalensis). This is a small species (no more than 35 cm in length). Has a runny body. The head is pointed. The body is strongly compressed laterally. The first rays of the second dorsal and anal fins are elongated. The chest is bare, without scales. The coloration is of the “pelagic” type: dark back, silvery sides and belly. There is a small black spot on the edge of the operculum. The tail fin is lemon-yellow. This species of trevally is a massive schooling fish that lives both at the bottom and in the water column within the shelf zone.


There are about 25 species of trevally in the Indian Ocean and southeastern Pacific Ocean. Some of them are very widespread, from the eastern coast of Africa to the Hawaiian Islands. These types include six-banded trevally(C. sexfasciatus) is a large commercial species, found mainly in the water column. It is caught exclusively with hook fishing gear.


A fairly common species in the Indian Ocean is longfin trevally(S. armatus). Distinctive feature This species is formed by the elongated rays of the soft dorsal and anal fins. It reaches a length of 60 cm. It is caught on the Malabar shelf of India, in the area of ​​the island of Ceylon and in the Bay of Bengal, mainly by trawls. A very important object of trawl fishing on the shelves of the tropical zone of the Indian Ocean is small, but massive malabar trevally(C. malabaricus). It has an oval, high body, strongly compressed laterally. Chest without scales. The pectoral fins are long, sickle-shaped, longer than the head. The color is silver, the back is darker than the sides. Large schools of Malabar trevally are commonly found in the shallow waters of the Malabar Shelf of India. The Malabar trevally prefers muddy soil and depths less than 50 m. Unlike most other trevally, which lead a predominantly predatory lifestyle, the Malabar trevally feeds mainly on invertebrates (shrimps, polychaetes), although it does not neglect small fish (anchovies, silver bellies, etc. .).


As mentioned above, some caranx have poisonous properties. The meat of these species, especially their caviar and liver, can cause a serious disease, ciguatera, when consumed by humans, sometimes resulting in the death of the patient. Specified as poisonous trevally black trevally(C. lugubris), distributed in the tropics of the Western Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, coast of Venezuela and Guiana) and in the Pacific Ocean in the Hawaiian Islands, as well as Hawaiian trevally(C. cheilio), living in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands.


In the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Africa and Central America, it also lives bumper, or casabe(Chloroscombrus chrysurus). It is distinguished by an elongated, laterally compressed body. The caudal peduncle is long and narrow. There are no bony plates on the lateral line. There are small conical teeth on the jaws, palate, vomer and tongue. The color of the back is greenish-golden. The sides and belly are silvery-yellow. There is a black spot on the caudal peduncle. The tail fin is lemon-yellow. The length rarely exceeds 25 cm. The bumper is found exclusively on the shelf at shallow depths of the order of 20-50 m. It is a bottom-pelagic schooling species. Forms quite large clusters, often shared with sardinella. It feeds mainly on plankton, eggs and larvae of pelagic fish. An interesting feature of this species is the ability to make sounds. In calm weather, schools of bumpers often rise to the surface and stay close to a drifting or anchored ship. At the same time, the faint grunting sounds that these fish make are clearly audible. The sounds are made especially clearly by fish that have just been caught on deck. It is possible that, like in Pomadasidae and some croakers, the ability to make sounds has a signaling value. The second species of this genus is orcueta(C. orqueta) lives off the Pacific coast of Mexico.


An endemic species is common off the western and eastern coasts of South America, in the waters of southern Brazil, Argentina and Chile. parona(Ragopa signata). It reaches a length of 50 cm. Its very characteristic feature is an oval-shaped black spot located under the pectoral fins. Parona is found mainly at shallow depths (less than 50 m). It does not form commercial aggregations, but is a rather valuable by-catch in trawl fisheries, since its meat has high taste.


Several species live in the western and eastern waters of tropical America clan Zapatero(Oligoplites). Distinctive feature of this genus are the last rays of the soft dorsal and anal fins protruding in the form of semi-detached fins. The body shape is oblong, torpedo-shaped. The first dorsal fin is in the form of 3-5 separate short spines, often not connected by a membrane. In front of the anal fin there are two spines connected by a membrane, which in older individuals are sometimes hidden under the skin. Zapatero are pelagic fish up to 50 cm long, found both on the shelf and at a considerable distance from the coast. They are caught mainly with hook fishing gear (longlines, trolls), often together with tuna. They rarely get caught in trawls, as they stay mostly in the water column. In addition to the Atlantic and Pacific species of this genus, there is one species living in Lake Maracaibo, in fresh and brackish water.


Very close in systematic relation to zapatero genus Khorinema(Chorinemus), found in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Representatives of this genus have an elongated, laterally compressed body. The first dorsal fin has spiny rays not connected by a membrane. The rays of the posterior half of the second dorsal and anal fins are elongated and semi-detached, resembling additional fins, like those of mackerel-like fish. On the sides of the caudal peduncle of Chorinemus there are small leathery longitudinal carinae. The scales are very small, cycloid. Chorinemas are large (up to 120 cm) bottom-pelagic fish that live at shallow depths. They are found in small schools in areas where there are mass concentrations of anchovies, sardinella and mackerel, which they hunt for. They are valuable commercial objects and are caught with trawls and hook fishing gear. Most common in the Indian Ocean horinemlisan(Chorinemus lysan). This is a large fish, exceeding 1 m in length. It is characterized by 6-8 dark oval transverse spots on the sides. It is mined in India, Pakistan, Ceylon and Burma.


Very widespread in the tropical zone of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans Trachinotes, or Pompano(Trachinotus). Trachinotes have a laterally compressed tall ellipsoidal body. The anterior profile of the head is oval-rounded. The caudal peduncle is short and narrow. The mouth is semi-inferior. On the jaws, palatine bones and vomer there are small hair-like teeth in stripes. The first dorsal fin is in the form of 6 small spines, connected by a membrane only in young individuals. The second dorsal and anal fins are long, rounded in front. The anal fin is located strictly opposite the second dorsal fin. There are two free spines in front of the anal fin and one spine is connected to the anal fin. The scales are very small. There are no bony scutes on the caudal peduncle. Genus includes large number species, many of which are of commercial importance.


In the subtropical and tropical zones of the eastern and western parts of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea it lives blue trachynote(Trachinotus glaucus). It is distinguished by very long first rays of the soft dorsal and anal fins. The back color is dark blue. The sides are golden with four vertical black stripes. The second dorsal and anal fins are black. The blue trachinot reaches a length of 30 cm. It prefers to stay in shallow waters, in bays and estuaries in close proximity to the shores. It feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates, with small amounts of fish. It is caught with fixed and cast nets, less often with hooks. In the Western Atlantic, the main fishing season is in autumn and winter.


Found in the tropics of West Africa Senegalese trachinot(T. goreensis), reaching a length of 80 cm. It adheres to shallow depths of the coastal zone, where it hunts with fixed and cast seines. It is distinguished by the high taste of meat.


Widespread in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans from the eastern shores of Africa to the Philippine Islands. Asian fucking(T. bailloni). The largest amount is mined in the region of the island of Taiwan.


Most major representative genus trachynots is big fucking(T. goodei), living off the coast of the USA, Florida and Bahamas. Its length often reaches 80-90 cm, weight 18-20 kg. It is caught by trawls and hook gear.


In the tropical zone of the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa and Central America, unique mackerel fish live - Vomer(Vomer setapinnis) and selenium(Selene vomer), having a very tall, highly flattened body. Their forehead is steep and high, convex. The ventral margin of the body is sharp. The first dorsal fin is reduced; it consists of 8 very short wide spines. In young individuals, the first two spines have long thread-like processes that disappear with age. In adults they are also greatly reduced pelvic fins, they are noticeable only upon very close examination. The pectoral fins are long, semilunar. The lateral line is strongly curved, devoid of bony scutes and carinae. The color of the back is greenish-blue, the sides are silvery. The fins are greyish.


The vomer reaches a length of 60 cm; usually much smaller individuals are found, not exceeding 30 cm. This species is distributed exclusively within the continental shelf. It prefers to stay on silty and silty-sandy soils at depths of no more than 60 m. Accumulations of vomer are observed in the bottom layers, sometimes they are mixed with schools of horse mackerel, bumper and sardinella. Like bumpers, vomers can make a faint grunting sound.


In the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, an even more original representative of the horse mackerel family is widespread - genus Alectis(Alectis) with several species. These are tall-bodied, very laterally flattened fish. Their body shape is somewhat reminiscent of a rhombus. The dorsal spiny fin is greatly reduced; it contains about 6 very small spines not connected by a membrane. The second dorsal and anal fins have very long filamentous processes on the first rays. The pectoral fins are long and sickle-shaped. The caudal peduncle is short, thin, and has one longitudinal leathery keel on each side, formed by small bony plates located in the posterior part of the lateral line.

Biological encyclopedic dictionary- Common horse mackerel ... Wikipedia

Trachur ... Wikipedia

Scientific classification ... Wikipedia

Horse mackerel is a predatory fish that lives in sea ​​waters, belongs to the class of ray-finned, horse mackerel family.

The fish has a characteristic rough tail, which is arranged in a wedge shape.

Description of horse mackerel

Horse mackerel is a small fish, it is only 40 cm long and weighs from 280-370 grams. Individual, larger horse mackerel can weigh as much as a kilogram. There were cases when fishermen caught horse mackerel weighing more than one and a half kilograms.

Most often in nature, horse mackerel is small in size. The body of the fish is more elongated with small scales. Bones with sharp spines are located on the sides of the back, most often they are turned backwards.

Spikes are all a fish has to protect itself from predators. On average, horse mackerel can live no more than 8 years.

Types of horse mackerel

The total number of species of such fish does not exceed 10. Let us name the main types of horse mackerel:

Common horse mackerel

The fish lives in the waters of the Atlantic, in the North and Black Seas, in coastal water Argentina, Africa, and also in the Mediterranean Sea.

This type of horse mackerel lives in schools, each fish reaches 47 cm in length and weighs about one and a half kilograms.

Mediterranean horse mackerel

This species is found in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as in the Mediterranean, Seas of Marmara. Horse mackerel can be from 25-55 cm long. The sides of the fish’s body are covered with bony shields.

The back of horse mackerel is gray with a blue tint, the belly is white with silver inclusions.

Mediterranean horse mackerel is found in schools, and in one school there are fish of completely different sizes.

This type of fish consists of two subspecies, namely the Mediterranean mackerel and the Black Sea.

Southern horse mackerel

It is found in the Atlantic Ocean mainly off the Brazilian, Uruguay, and Australian coasts. The fish is also found in New Zealand, but in smaller quantities. The body of this type of fish is no more than 60 cm long.

The horse mackerel is distinguished by a large head and a large oral cavity; there are 8 spines on the first fin in the back area. The fish lives at a depth of 250-300 m.

Japanese mackerel

Lives in Japanese waters and South Korea, more of it can be seen in the China Sea. In autumn, fish swim to the shores of Primorye.

The length of the Japanese mackerel is only 37 cm. It lives at a depth of 100 - 250 meters.

Where is horse mackerel found?

The main habitat of horse mackerel is the Northern, Black and Mediterranean seas, where it is found in large quantities. Small schools of fish can also be found in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Selected species fish are found in the waters of Argentina and Australia.

Horse mackerel can swim quite quickly and is found at a depth of no more than 300 meters. With the onset of cold weather, mackerel sails to warm places, mainly to the waters of Australia and Africa.

Only five species of horse mackerel are found in Russian waters. Fishing for mackerel in the Black Sea is carried out during the period when the fish stops spawning.

What does mackerel eat?

Horse mackerel is considered a predatory fish; it eats small fish plankton, crustaceans and shrimp.

The main delicacy of fish is the caviar of pelagic fish. The fish spends less of its time at depth; it mainly hunts by swimming closer to the surface of the reservoir.

How do fish spawn?

A distinctive feature of the fish from many of its relatives is the fact that the fish spawns in warm waters tropical countries almost all year round. In the warm season, horse mackerel prefers to lay eggs in mid-latitude waters.

Horse mackerel is considered the most prolific fish; it can lay from one and a half thousand to two hundred thousand eggs at a time.

As soon as the fry emerge from the eggs, before reaching one year of age, they attach themselves under the dome of the jellyfish, thus escaping from predators. Young fish also eat zooplankton.

How is horse mackerel caught and prepared?

Many people wonder how to catch horse mackerel. Fishermen set nets in the waters, since fish are found in schools, a large number of fish fall into the net at once.

Horse mackerel meat is not fatty, very tender without large bones.

The fish has a specific taste, it tastes a little like water, and also has a certain sourness. You can buy horse mackerel frozen or fresh.

Fish is versatile in preparation; it can be marinated, stewed, fried, dried or smoked. Delicious, rich soups are prepared from horse mackerel, as well as all kinds of cold appetizers and sandwiches.

Horse mackerel is often found canned, in oil, in tomato, or as a pate.

Photos of horse mackerel

The blue runner, as the tarahun is also called, is one of the most... fast fish in the waters of the World Ocean. Moreover, it develops maximum speed, from the start. If you are not prepared, then when you pull the hook adult, you can easily part with the spinning rod.

The recommendations given in this article are not about learning how to hold the rod tightly, but about how to make mackerel mackerel make such intriguing bites more often. What gear and bait are needed for this, and where to look for this fish, this will be discussed in this review.

1.General description of fish

Tarahun– a predatory fish, belongs to the class of ray-finned fish, the horse mackerel family. WITH Greek language translated - rough tail.

Commonly used names among fishermen around the world are blue runner, common warrior, deep sea trooper, and crystal tail.

More names in other languages:

  • Spanish - chicharro, jurel, escribano;
  • English - horse mackerel;
  • Catalan — sorell

There are approximately 150 species of horse mackerel.

The Ecoplanet encyclopedia describes in detail the varieties of ray-finned birds. In illustrated form you can see the differences between the cockroach and its other relatives https://zelenyjmir.ru/stavrida/.

In terms of numbers, 5 species are most common:

  1. Ordinary.
  2. South.
  3. Mediterranean.
  4. Japanese.
  5. Peruvian.

This article will focus on the Mediterranean horse mackerel. It is also called the Black Sea horse mackerel, which lives in Marmara, Black, Mediterranean and Seas of Azov, as well as in the Atlantic Ocean.

Tarahun has an oblong body, the pelvic fins are longer than the dorsal fins. In terms of body proportions, there is a large head and mouth. There are small teeth. Hard tail, wedge-shaped. The color of the back is gray-blue, the belly is silvery. The sides of the trolus are covered with bone spines, which serve as protection from large predators: tuna, amberjack, herring and mackerel.

Tarahun leads an active lifestyle, so he does not have excess fat. The anatomy of its body: the size of its fins, strong tail, scales and bony scutes located in the opposite direction, is created in such a way that it allows it to reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.

Most often confused with two fish - Caranx ruber

Caranx bartholomaei

A distinctive feature is the absence of black spots on the gills.

2. Distribution and habitats of horse mackerel

Multi-species horse mackerel is distributed in all waters of the World Ocean. Individual schools can be found in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, but in large numbers, they live in the North and Black Seas.

Tarahun is primarily a coastal fish, although it can often be found among reefs and rapids at a depth of 100 meters or more. Oil and gas platforms attract his attention. Results of marine aquaculture: artificial reefs, human-grown algae.

The first year of its life, horse mackerel lives in a shelter - under the dome of a jellyfish. As seen in this video

During this period, it feeds mainly on zooplankton.

3. Age and size

Life expectancy is 9 years. Reaches a body length of 70 cm.

4. Lifestyle

Leads a semi-predatory lifestyle. Mainly stays on the mainland shallows in search of food. Most often it can be found at a depth of 50 - 300 meters. In cold weather, horse mackerel migrates to the warm waters of Africa and Australia.

Behavior of a school of horse mackerel in a 2-minute video

4.1. Reproduction - time and characteristics of spawning

Peak spawning occurs from June to August.

4.2. Diet - what does mackerel eat?

Benthic and benthic invertebrates. Fish: sardines, anchovies. Crustaceans: shrimp, crabs, lobsters and crustaceans.
There are known cases of eating dolphin excrement.

5. How, where, when and what to catch mackerel

Fishing is carried out from the shore and from floating craft, in almost any weather. Both artificial and natural baits are used.

5.1. Biting calendar - at what time of year the horse mackerel bites best

Spring, summer and autumn.

5.2. What weather is the best time to bite?

In any weather, except for a strong storm.

5.3. What are the best places to fish?

Places where there are a lot of fry, the presence of algae, in rocks.

5.4. What gear is best for catching horse mackerel?

If we talk about the quantity of mackerel, then not a single tackle can be compared with the tyrant. Works exceptionally in or around a joint. With such equipment you can catch hundreds of kilograms, so there are no special equipment. Everything that comes up in the form of tackle for horse mackerel involuntarily reminds everyone of the well-known tyrant.

The main methods of fishing are nets, tyrants, and spinners. The spoon works especially well in the evening or at night.

Experiment - whose tyrant works better for horse mackerel. Watch carefully so as not to repeat mistakes in the flaws of poorly performing equipment

Watch the assembly of a tyrant with your own hands using loop knitting

Each person chooses a spinning rod for catching horse mackerel for himself. But the important criterion still remains - the lightness, sensitivity and strength of the rod. The test is selected according to the weight of the intended equipment. The length of the “stick” should not exceed 2.40 meters. 2000 coils - oh, that will be more than enough.

5.5. Baits for catching horse mackerel

Glass balls inside the wobbler give it a sound effect. The aerodynamic shape allows you to throw this product over a long distance, with minimal throwing force.

The Corsair wobbler showed positive results when catching cockroaches

See his behavior in water in a 1-minute video

According to fishermen, the Komomo Slim wobbler performed excellently when catching horse mackerel.

When fishermen communicated on forums and shared their results, many of them noticed that they had to catch successfully on. “This product is made in the likeness of a small, nimble fish. With such a wobbler, the wiring should be fast.

The jig lure showed itself successfully when catching tarahoon. It is also called a “blank” because of its heavy weight.
A universal product when choosing wiring. The main ones are:, and.

See horse mackerel in the Black Sea from a boat. Catchy jigs shown in close-up

From a pier in Crimea, catching horse mackerel with jigs, watch in this video

5.7. How does a mackerel peck

Aggressive biting style.

5.8. How to fish correctly. — Basic techniques

Catching cockroaches from the pier in Nice, Italy

Playing from the shore with silicone. Stepped wiring

Catching blue runner from shore in rough seas

5.9. The most important moments

Hold the rod tightly and always be prepared for a sharp bite from horse mackerel.

6. Interesting, unusual, funny facts about this fish

Due to the fact that the cockroach favorite places There are various kinds of artificial shelters, including oil structures and islands made of all kinds of garbage, and mercury is found in his head. For this reason, it is not recommended for pregnant women and children. Scientists have a lot of confusion about this in their treatises. But most likely, the reason lies in eating this waste, which contains chemicals the entire periodic table.

There are also known cases of human horse mackerel poisoning. Adults are infected with biological poison -. The reason is that the cockroach, while eating its daily food in the bottom thickets, simultaneously swallows poisonous fish. And thus he carries this poison within himself. Which, by the way, is not harmful to him.

Tarahun is often used as bait in fishing and for the aquarium trade.

Horse mackerel plays an important role in the world's waters. It is important for commercial fishing. In addition to being a predator itself, it also serves as food for larger animals. predatory fish, birds and dolphins.

7. Gastronomy

The meat is tender and appetizing, without small bones. Contains a lot useful vitamin. Many different delicious dishes are prepared from horse mackerel.

How to properly cut tarahun for sushi, watch this video

Cutting a trolus with scissors under a tap

8. Useful links

— a detailed article about horse mackerel fish;

http://forum.israfish.com/viewtopic.php?t=14463 - discussions by members of the Israeli fishing forum about different names mackerel fish.

What kind of fish is horse mackerel? What does she look like? Let's look at the photo of horse mackerel, and then carefully read its description... Horse mackerel, how bright representative perciformes order, has a body length of up to 50 cm, and a weight of no more than 400 g.

Horse mackerel is characterized by a spindle-shaped shape and a thin tail stalk.

The horse mackerel has a number of lateral bony scutes along the entire length of its body. Total family Carangidae There are about 140 subspecies of fish of various sizes.

In nature, there are individuals from 20 cm to 2 meters in length. Horse mackerel is an important species of commercial fish.

In Hebrew, horse mackerel sounds like “tarakhon” or “tarilos”. In a store, it is extremely difficult to determine what species a fish frozen on the counter is. Mediterranean waters contain only three species of horse mackerel, but the annual catch of this fish is significant. For example, in 2004, as many as 80 tons of true horse mackerel were caught in the waters Mediterranean Sea.


The common horse mackerel lives in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the North, Mediterranean and Black Seas. The Mediterranean horse mackerel is most often found in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, from there it migrates to the Atlantic. Ocean horse mackerel, on the contrary, moves from Atlantic waters to Mediterranean waters.


Common horse mackerel is a commercial fish species, and very tasty, by the way.

The common horse mackerel has a slightly elongated body, slightly flattened on the sides. Sharp scutes along the barrels distinguish horse mackerel from other fish species. They live in flocks and can live up to 9-10 years. In history, cases of catching 2-meter horse mackerel have been recorded. But most often their length does not exceed 50 cm. The main food for horse mackerel is zooplankton, fry, crustaceans and cephalopods.


More than 10 species of horse mackerel are found in the subtropical waters of the World Ocean. These schooling fish can travel long distances during seasonal migrations. Eggs and even fry of horse mackerel can long time preserved under the dome of the jellyfish.


The main areas for catching mackerel, since the times of the USSR, are the waters of the Baltic, Black, Azov and Japanese seas. About 4 species of horse mackerel live in these seas.