Teleostei (teleosts) > Carangiformes (Jacks) > Carangidae (Jacks and pompanos) > Caranginae
Etymology: Megalaspis: Greek, megas, megalos = great + Greek, aspis,-idos = shield (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 20 - 100 m (Ref. 28016); tropical; 47°N - 22°S40°E - 156°E (Ref. 54577).

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to Japan and Australia.

Maturity: L_m 22.0, range ? - ? cm
Max length: 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed (Ref. 3287); common length: 45.0 cm TL male/unsexed (Ref. 5450); max. published weight: 4.0 kg (Ref. 4883); max. reported age: 5 years (Ref. 104735).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 20; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 16 - 17. Description: Bluish grey to green dorsally; shading to silvery on side and belly; dark fins. Opercle with large black spot on upper rear edge (Ref. 2334). Body elongate and subcylindrical, slightly compressed; caudal peduncle strongly compressed with distinct median keel; breast scaleless ventrally (Ref. 90102). LL scutes 51-59, strong and very large. Anal fin with 2 detached spines (Ref. 2334). Numerous dorsal and anal finlets are distinct (Ref. 37816). Adipose eyelid completely covering eye except for vertical slit at middle of pupil (Ref. 90102).

Adults are primarily oceanic, pelagic schooling species rarely seen on reefs (Ref. 48635, 90102). They feed mainly on fishes (Ref. 5213). Generally marketed fresh (Ref. 5284).

Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen and J.E. Hanley 1989 Pisces. Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Zoological Catalogue of Australia, Vol. 7. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 665 p. (Ref. 7300)

  Least Concern (LC); date assessed: March 09 2015

Not Evaluated

Not Evaluated

  Harmless

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Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 23.5 - 28.6, mean 27.5 °C (based on 707 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 1 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01288 (0.01159 - 0.01432), b=2.93 (2.90 - 2.96), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.9 ±0.6 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.13(?)-0.35; Fec=146,400).

Prior r = 0.57, 95% CL = 0.37 - 0.85, Based on 20 data-limited stock assessments.

Fishing vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100).

Climate vulnerability (Ref. 125649): Very high vulnerability (86 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): High; Reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species.

Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 140 [25, 418] mg/100g; Iron = 1.59 [0.48, 3.65] mg/100g; Protein = 20.8 [19.1, 22.3] %; Omega3 = 0.198 [0.093, 0.452] g/100g; Selenium = 69.4 [22.3, 176.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 23.1 [5.0, 132.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.544 [0.132, 1.912] mg/100g (wet weight); based on nutrient studies.