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Whitefin trevally

Carangoides equula

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth71–165 m
  • Water temperature17–28 °C
  • Best monthsOctober
  • How commonOccasional
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About this species

The whitefin trevally, also known as the horse trevally, is a species of deep water offshore fish in the jack family Carangidae. The species inhabits the tropical to temperate waters of the Indo-Pacific and central Pacific, ranging from South Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east. The whitefin trevally is a moderate-sized fish, growing to 37 cm (15 in), and is distinguished by a number of morphological traits, including fin size, gill raker count, and colour. It inhabits the continental shelf and slope at depths to 200 m (660 ft) over sand and mud substrates, where it preys on fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Studies in Japan indicate a length at sexual maturity of 17.4 cm (6.9 in) on average, with spawning occurring between May and October, with each individual spawning multiple times. Whitefin trevallies are of high importance to fisheries in Japan, where they are taken by trawlers, although the catch numbers have halved since the 1980s. It is of minor importance elsewhere throughout its range, but is considered a good table fish.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Whitefin trevally”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 116 records
  • February: 83 records
  • March: 40 records
  • April: 124 records
  • May: 37 records
  • June: 139 records
  • July: 37 records
  • August: 316 records
  • September: 84 records
  • October: 578 records
  • November: 136 records
  • December: 21 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 71–165 m · Deepest record: 337 m

  • 10–20 m: 1 records
  • 20–30 m: 3 records
  • 30–40 m: 12 records
  • 40–50 m: 37 records
  • 50–60 m: 46 records
  • 60–70 m: 53 records
  • 70–80 m: 98 records
  • 80–90 m: 55 records
  • 90–100 m: 31 records
  • 100–110 m: 85 records
  • 110–120 m: 120 records
  • 120+ m: 1,081 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 17–28 °C

  • 16–18 °C: 1 records
  • 18–20 °C: 5 records
  • 20–22 °C: 12 records
  • 22–24 °C: 40 records
  • 24–26 °C: 20 records
  • 26–28 °C: 592 records
  • 28–30 °C: 2 records

Names and classification

English
Whitefin trevally, Whitefin Kingfish, whitefinned crevalle, whitefin trevally
Names in 3 more languages
Spanish
Jurel Aliblanco
French
Carangue aile blanche
Japanese
カイワリ

Other scientific names: Carangoides acutus, Carangoides dasson, Caranx dasson, Caranx equula, Kaiwarinus equula

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 2,139 open-data records from 1844 to 2021.
  • Species data updated November 1, 2026.

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