Smallmouth Scad

The smallmouth scad has an elongate oval to oblong shaped body which is strongly compressed. The snout is blunt, and both the ventral and dorsal profiles are equally convex. The dorsal and anal fins both have a low profile, and are not falcate, while the pectorals are falcate and extend beyond the junction of the curved and straight lateral line. The curved section of the lateral line is strongly arched, rising from the origin at the operculum and terminating at the junction with the straight section. A posterior adipose eyelid is well developed and reaches almost to the center of the eye, and the jaws are filled with fine teeth. The first dorsal fin has 8 spines, and the second dorsal has one spine and 24-26 soft rays. The anal fin has two separate spines posterior to the main anal fin which consists of one spine and 20 to 22 soft rays. There are 51-70 moderately protrusive scutes. It is similar to Atule mate, but lacks the adipose eyelid on both posterior and anterior sides of the orbit. It is also very similar to Alepes melanoptera and is distinguished from it by having dusky to hyaline dorsal intermembranes, compared to A. melanoptera's spotted membranes. Alepes vari is more similar still, and can be clearly distinguished by gill raker counts, having 27-30 compared to A. vari's 37. …

The smallmouth scad is known only from Australian waters, inhabiting the tropical north from Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia, north to the Northern Territory and east to Wide Bay in Queensland. There has been a single report of an individual as far down as Botany Bay in New South Wales. The species may also occur in the Gulf of Papua but has not yet reported. It is an abundant fish on the continental shelf in waters from 10 to 150 m in depth, rarely leading a pelagic lifestyle.