Blackfin scad
| Blackfin scad | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Carangiformes |
| Suborder: | Carangoidei |
| Family: | Carangidae |
| Genus: | Alepes |
| Species: | A. melanoptera |
| Binomial name | |
| Alepes melanoptera (Swainson, 1839) | |
| Range of the blackfin scad | |
| Synonyms | |
The blackfin scad (Alepes melanoptera) (also known as the shortfinned trevally and Chinese trevally) is a species of tropical marine fish of the jack family Carangidae. The species inhabits inshore waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region, although is rare in the western Indian Ocean. It is not a large species, with the largest reported capture being 25 cm, and it is distinguished readily from similar species by the prominent black dorsal fin. It is a predator which feeds on planktonic crustaceans, but little else is known of its biology. The blackfin scad is a minor food fish throughout its range, and is highly valued in Cambodia and Thailand.