Snake mackerel

Not to be confused with Escolar.

The snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens) is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Gempylidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Gempylus. Populations of Gempylus serpens from the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific differ in vertebral count (51–55 versus 48–50).

Description

The snake mackerel has a long, slender, small, and compressed body. It has a long, pointed head, measuring 17–18% of the standard length, and a large mouth with the lower jaw protruding beyond the upper. The coloration is metallic brown, with dark fins.

Related pages

• Gempylidae - the family of fish where it belongs to
• Chibapsetta
• Aeoliscoides
• Freshwater fish

References

1. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2009). "Gempylus serpens" in FishBase. March 2009 version.