Torpedo scad
(Megalaspis cordyla)
General data
The torpedo scad (Megalaspis cordyla), also known as the hardtail scad, finny scad, finletted mackerel scad or cordyla scad, is a species of moderately large marine fish classified in the jack and horse mackerel family, Carangidae.
The torpedo scad is distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region, ranging from South Africa in the west to Tonga in the east, extending to Japan in the north and Australia in south.
It is a schooling pelagic fish which occupies the surface layers of both inshore and offshore oceanic waters.
The torpedo scad is easily identified by both its torpedo-shaped body and a series of detached finlets at the rear of both the dorsal and anal fins.
The largest recorded individual was 80 cm long and weighed 4 kg, although it is more common at lengths less than 40 cm.
It is a predatory species, taking a variety of fish, cephalopods and crustaceans by both active and filter feeding.
