Shortfin scad

Decapterus macrosoma

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth12–135 m
Water temperature18–30 °C
Best monthsApril and October
How commonOccasional

Photo credit: no rights reserved, uploaded by Peter Shanks · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

About this species

Decapterus is a genus of marine fishes of jack family, Carangidae, commonly known as mackerel scads, round scads, or horse mackerel. They are found throughout the world.

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

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 25 records
February: 15 records
March: 9 records
April: 93 records
May: 21 records
June: 43 records
July: 15 records
August: 27 records
September: 39 records
October: 69 records
November: 30 records
December: 47 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 12–135 m · Deepest record: 400 m

0–10 m: 29 records
10–20 m: 16 records
20–30 m: 23 records
30–40 m: 28 records
40–50 m: 33 records
50–60 m: 44 records
60–70 m: 20 records
70–80 m: 32 records
80–90 m: 20 records
90–100 m: 12 records
100–110 m: 14 records
110+ m: 50 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 18–30 °C

18–20 °C: 24 records
20–22 °C: 41 records
22–24 °C: 31 records
24–26 °C: 74 records
26–28 °C: 199 records
28–30 °C: 80 records

Photos

Names and classification

English: Shortfin scad, blue mackerel scad, cherootfish, Long-bodied Mackerel-scad, Long-bodied Scad, shortfin scad, Shortfin Scad, Slender Mackerel-scad, Slender Scad, Slender Scad, Shortfin scad

Names in 5 more languages

Spanish: Jurel Fino, macarela alicorta, Macarela Fina
French: Carangue maquereau effilée, Comète fine
Japanese: Moro, モロ
Thai: ปลาทูแขกครีบสั้น
Simplified Chinese: 長身圓鰺

Other scientific names: Decapterus afuerae, Decapterus macrosorna

Similar species

Mackerel scad
Decapterus macarellus
Indian scad
Decapterus russelli
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).
1,018 open-data records from 1898 to 2023.
Species data updated October 26, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist