The Black Sea Scad (Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus) is a small marine (saltwater) fish in the Carangidae family of mackerel. It is also known as the Mediterranean Horse Mackerel, the Black Sea Horse Mackerel, or the Mediterranean Scad.
The Black Sea Scad has an elongated, flat body with a large head and a projected lower jaw. It is blue, grey or black on the upper part of its body and white to silver on the lower part of its body. Its caudal (tail) fin is yellow and forked. It has small nostrils and big eyes.
It grows to about 30-60 centimetres (12-24 inches) in length.
The Trachurus mediterraneusis found in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Trachurus mediterraneus ponticusis a sub-species found in the Black Sea which borders the countries of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. It prefers sub-tropical waters.
It lives near the bottom of the ocean. It feeds on sardines, anchovies, and small crabs.
It lives in groups called shoals.
The female Black Sea Scad is oviparous. She lays hundreds of thousands of eggs that hatch into larvae. The larvae are free-floating in the ocean.
Location of photographs: Tbilisi Museum of Natural History, Georgia
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM