Fun Bigeye Scad Facts For Kids

The saltwater pelagic fish species, bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus), is widely prevalent in the tropical and subtropical oceanic waters around the world. They are nocturnal so their main activities include searching for a mate or food such as fish larvae, small invertebrates, and zooplankton, commence during the night. Some other popular names of this species include the purse-eyed scad, chicharro, jacks, coulirou, matang baka, goggle-eyed scad, horse-eye jack, mushimas, and charrito ojón.Popular fish that serve as famous dishes include the mackerel scad, matambaka fish, and goggle-eyed scad. The matambaka fish or the cow-eyed fish has a strong flavor and is popularly used to make sashimi. Apart from its utility in the preparation of palatable exotic dishes, the fish is used as bait to capture larger species of fish. Overexploitation of the goggle-eyed scad population has been witnessed in Jamaica where the demand for the fish is sky soaring.Continue reading for more fun bigeye scad facts. Also, don’t forget to look up these amazing facts about the neon goby and round goby.‍

What do they prey on? Zooplankton, small benthic invertebrates, and fish larvae

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? N/A

How much do they weigh? 0.06 lb (25.20 g)

How long are they? 15 in (38 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue-green, green, white underparts, and yellow streaks

Skin Type Wet scales

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Tropical And Subtropical Oceanic Waters

Locations And The Indian Ocean, Indo-pacific, Eastern Pacific, Western And Eastern Atlantic

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Selar

Class Actinopterygii

Family Carangidae

Bigeye Scad Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a bigeye scad?Bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus), belonging to the family Carangidae, is a species of oceanic fish.What class of animal does a bigeye scad belong to?Bigeye scad belong to the Actinopterygii class.How many bigeye scads are there in the world?An accurate number of this inshore fish is unavailable due to the lack of data. However, jacks are in ample supply as they are highly popular all around the world. Approximately 200,000 tonnes of this species are caught annually yet the population trend of jacks is stable.Where does a bigeye scad live?The purse-eyed scad is distributed throughout the world, and this fish is ample in the Pacific Ocean. They can be found in the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean spanning across the Gulf of Mexico, Nova Scotia, the Bahamas, Bermuda as well as the Caribbean Sea. They can also be traced along the coast lines of South America, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, and the Trinidad Islands while in the Ascension and adjoining islands of the eastern Atlantic.What is a bigeye scad’s habitat?The habitat range of the bigeye scad includes clear oceanic waters and neritic zones near the coastal line. The purse-eyed scad is abundant in tropical as well as subtropical waters. Occurrences have also been recorded in shallow reefs. They have a lower depth limit of 558 ft (170 m).Who do bigeye scads live with?The bigeye scad is known to form and live in large schools.How long does a bigeye scad live?The bigeye scad has a very short lifespan. This inshore fish lives for just two years.How do they reproduce?Very little research has been possible in this field. Therefore, the behavioral pattern among these fishes during the breeding season remains a mystery. The fish is known to be pelagic. In the Hawaiian Islands, the spawning period extends from April to October but the spawning period varies largely from place to place. The females engage in spawning after an interval of three days. The juveniles are very quick to mature but they rarely live to be more than one or two years old.What is their conservation status?The conservation status of the bigeye scad has been classified under Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Although the population of this marine species has not been quantified, the fish is plentiful with a steady growth rate. The fish is also available in several local fisheries and is harvested every year owing to the demand for its meat.Bigeye Scad Fun FactsWhat do bigeye scads look like?The elongated body of goggle-eyed scads comes in the shade of metallic green to blue-green. The fish are moderate in length. The underparts are more of silvery-white texture and horizontal yellow stripes cover the body right from the operculum extending to its caudal fin. The distinguishing feature of the species is its large eyes, explaining the big eye in its name, with fatty eyelids and a forked tail.How cute are they?The purse-eyed scad might not exactly qualify as cute, but the fish is beautiful with its blue-green metallic sheen. While it may not be the prettiest fish to look at, it appeals to the taste buds of fish lovers!How do they communicate?Large schools are known to produce hydrodynamic sounds in low frequency. This happens due to the collective movements of the fish.How big is a bigeye scad?A bigeye scad stands at a length of around 15 in (38 cm) but it can reach up to a maximum length of 28 in (70 cm). They are undoubtedly smaller than skate fish measuring approximately 96 in (244 cm) in length.How fast can a bigeye scad swim?The purse-eyed scad is swift in its movements when swimming in large schools. However, the swimming speed remains unrecorded.How much does a bigeye scad weigh?A juvenile is known to gain a mass of 0.003 lb (1.3 g) within a span of only 45 days post-hatching and eventually grows to be bigger in size, reaching around 0.06 lb (25.2 g).What are the male and female names of the species?Neither genders have specific names so they are generally referred to as fish.What would you call a baby bigeye scad?Just like any other fish species, a baby bigeye scad is called a fry. Once the baby develops scales and fins, it is regarded as a fingerling.What do they eat?The bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) enjoys a carnivorous diet. They primarily feed on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish larvae. They also feed on small fish. However, juveniles prefer a diet consisting of zooplankton, invertebrates, and crustaceans like shrimp, more than small fish. This species is known to feed in the darkness of the night.Are they poisonous?The bigeye scad is consumed worldwide as a delicacy which implies that the fish is nontoxic.Would they make a good pet? The Bigeye Scad is not suitable as a pet as they are wild animalsDid you know…A bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) school comprises hundreds to thousands of fish.The fish remains in deep waters during the daytime while its activities resume at night.The fish is used as bait, often attached to the fishing line, to trap large fishes like yellowfin tuna and marlin.What are the different types of bigeye scad?The bigeye scad is a small-sized tropical water fish. These fishes are extensively fished for human consumption as well used as fishing baits.Do humans eat bigeye scad?In the Hawaiian islands, along with the mackerel scad (known as Ōpelu), this popular grilling fish goes by the name of Akule. The bigeye scad is not only edible, but it is of high commercial value due to its delectable flesh that is firm yet sweet to taste just like mackerel. The species is one of the fishes that finds its place in the seafood menu of several restaurants mostly in the Philippines, Mexico, and Australia. It is also used as bait and also popular as a gamefish.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our lambchop rasbora facts and pigfish facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bigeye scad coloring pages.

What type of animal is a bigeye scad?

Bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus), belonging to the family Carangidae, is a species of oceanic fish.

Fun Bigeye Scad Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Zooplankton, small benthic invertebrates, and fish larvae

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? N/A

How much do they weigh? 0.06 lb (25.20 g)

How long are they? 15 in (38 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue-green, green, white underparts, and yellow streaks

Skin Type Wet scales

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Tropical And Subtropical Oceanic Waters

Locations And The Indian Ocean, Indo-pacific, Eastern Pacific, Western And Eastern Atlantic

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Selar

Class Actinopterygii

Family Carangidae

Fun Bigeye Scad Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Zooplankton, small benthic invertebrates, and fish larvae

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? N/A

How much do they weigh? 0.06 lb (25.20 g)

How long are they? 15 in (38 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue-green, green, white underparts, and yellow streaks

Skin Type Wet scales

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Tropical And Subtropical Oceanic Waters

Locations And The Indian Ocean, Indo-pacific, Eastern Pacific, Western And Eastern Atlantic

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Selar

Class Actinopterygii

Family Carangidae

Fun Bigeye Scad Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Zooplankton, small benthic invertebrates, and fish larvae

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? N/A

How much do they weigh? 0.06 lb (25.20 g)

How long are they? 15 in (38 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue-green, green, white underparts, and yellow streaks

Skin Type Wet scales

What were their main threats? Humans

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Tropical And Subtropical Oceanic Waters

Locations And The Indian Ocean, Indo-pacific, Eastern Pacific, Western And Eastern Atlantic

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Selar

Class Actinopterygii

Family Carangidae