Leatherjacket fish
Encyclopedia
The leatherjacket fish, skipjack or leather jack, Oligoplites saurus, is a jack
and member of the Carangidae
family. Leather jack may also refer to other members of the Carangidea family, such as the pilot fish
.
Leatherjack may also refer to the smooth leatherjacket
, a member of the Monacanthidae family.
, often in company with larger predatory species.
or bluefish.
Carangidae
Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
and member of the Carangidae
Carangidae
Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
family. Leather jack may also refer to other members of the Carangidea family, such as the pilot fish
Pilot fish
The pilot fish is a carnivorous commensal fish in the family Carangidae. It is widely distributed and lives in warm or tropical open seas.- Description :...
.
Leatherjack may also refer to the smooth leatherjacket
Smooth leatherjacket
The smooth leatherjacket or velvet leatherjacket, Meuschenia scaber, is a filefish of the family Monacanthidae, found off eastern Australia and all around New Zealand to depths of about 100 m, on rocky weedy reef areas. Its length is between 25 and 35 cm...
, a member of the Monacanthidae family.
Distribution
The leatherjack fish inhabits shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic coast.Feeding Habits
It voraciously devours small fish and shrimpShrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
, often in company with larger predatory species.
Edibility
Traditionally, the leather jacket has not been eaten, however recently with large scale farming of the fish, it has become a common fish at market. The fish has a mild oily taste similar to spanish mackerelSpanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel may refer to:* Chloroscombrus chrysurus* Elagatis bipinnulata* Schedophilus maculatus* Scomber japonicus* Scomberomorus brasiliensis* Scomberomorus cavalla* Scomberomorus commerson* Scomberomorus guttatus...
or bluefish.