Mackerel scad

Decapterus macarellus

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth6–31 m
Water temperature9–30 °C
Best monthsAugust and September
How commonCommon

Photo credit: (c) Robin White, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

The mackerel scad, or speedo, is a species of fish of the family, Carangidae. While it can be considered gamefish, it is usually used as bait. It is popular for consumption in Hawaiʻi, the Philippines and the U.A.E. In Hawaiʻi, mackerel scad are called ʻopelu. In the Philippines they are called galunggong.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Mackerel scad”, 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: 27 records
February: 142 records
March: 157 records
April: 234 records
May: 109 records
June: 221 records
July: 196 records
August: 335 records
September: 485 records
October: 224 records
November: 60 records
December: 157 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 6–31 m · Deepest record: 1,936 m

0–10 m: 385 records
10–20 m: 653 records
20–30 m: 389 records
30–40 m: 70 records
40–50 m: 18 records
50–60 m: 6 records
60–70 m: 9 records
70–80 m: 5 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 6 records
100–110 m: 4 records
110+ m: 57 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 9–30 °C

8–10 °C: 1 records
10–12 °C: 5 records
12–14 °C: 15 records
14–16 °C: 11 records
16–18 °C: 5 records
18–20 °C: 6 records
20–22 °C: 5 records
22–24 °C: 15 records
24–26 °C: 44 records
26–28 °C: 528 records
28–30 °C: 307 records

Photos

(c) plingus22, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Alberto Alcalá, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) keesgroenendijk, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) James Telford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
(c) Alberto Alcalá, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) keesgroenendijk, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Mackerel scad, Ocean robin, Cigarfish, Indian Scad, Kingston, Mackerel, Mackerel Roundscad, mackerel scad, Mackerel Scad, ocean robin, Robin, Scad, Shortfin Scad

Names in 5 more languages

Spanish: Antonino, antonino caballita, Caballa, Caballa Amarilla, Caballa Azul, Caballeta, Caballeta Macarela, Caballla Amarilla, Chicharro, Chuparaco, Jurel Fino, Macarela, macarela caballa, Macarela caballa, Macarela Canalera, Macarella Cabala, Quiaquia, Tonino, Zapatero
French: Carangue maquereau, Comète maquereau, Comète maquereau, Bancloche, Coulirou de canal, décaptère faux-maquereau, Makriau, Makriau, Maquereau, Maquereau, Pilote
Japanese: Kusaya-moro, Kusayamoro, クサヤモロ
Korean: 풀가라지
Simplified Chinese: 細鱗圓鰺, 頜圓鰺

Other scientific names: Caranx jacobaeus, Caranx jacobeus, Caranx macarellus, Caranx pinnulatus, Decapterus canonoides, Decapterus macarallus, Decapterus pinnulatus

Similar species

Indian scad
Decapterus russelli
Shortfin scad
Decapterus macrosoma
Japanese scad
Decapterus maruadsi
Redtail scad
Decapterus kurroides
Giant trevally
Caranx ignobilis
Bluefin trevally
Caranx melampygus

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).
10,800 open-data records from 1901 to 2024.
Species data updated October 26, 2026.

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