Order : Carangiformes
Family : CARANGIDAE
Species : 19 species in the genus Caranx (as of 2024)
Maximum Length : 170 cm in Caranx ignobilis

Caranx comprises a group of 18 recognised species of trevally in the family Carangidae (Fishbase, 2024). This diverse family includes more than 30 other genera, such as Trachurus (jack mackerels) and Trachinotus (pompanos).

Caranx are medium to large fishes with laterally-compressed bodies, deeply forked tail fins, and backward pointing dorsal and anal fins.

They are fast swimming predators which inhabit offshore reefs, near-shore shallow embayments and open water. They prey upon cephalopods and crustaceans.

The largest member of the Caranx genus is the Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis) which can attain lengths of up to 170 cm and a weights of up to 80 kg.

The commonest species, featured here (Fig 1), is the Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus), which commonly reaches lengths of around 60 cm, but sometimes over one metre. Adults of this species occur in coastal and offshore water, whilst juveniles inhabit sheltered inshore waters and rivers (Fishbase, 2024). This species occurs in tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

Figs 1 and 2 : Bluefin Trevally Caranx melampygus in shallow coastal water at Bora Bora, French Polynesia.


Links and references :

Fishbase - Carangidae

Fishbase - Carynx melampygus

Wikipedia - Carynx melampygus