Black Trevally, Caranx lugubris Click to enlarge image
A Black Trevally, Caranx lugubris, at a depth of 5m, Marotiri Rocks, Austral Islands, southern French Polynesia. Image: Ian Skipworth
© Ian Skipworth

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Caranx
    Species
    lugubris
    Family
    Carangidae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 80 cm in length.

Introduction

The Black Trevally is generally a solitary fish and can be found on outer reef slopes and deep drop-offs.



Identification

The Black Trevally is a compressed fish with a steep forehead, long curved pectoral fins and a forked tail. It is brownish or grey to black, with a black spot on the upper margin of the operculum. There are black scutes on the rear of the body.


Black Trevally, Caranx lugubris
A Black Trevally at a depth of 12 m, Bougainville Reef, Coral Sea, December 2000. Image: Schlögl, Erik
© Schlögl, Erik

Habitat

The Black Trevally is a pelagic species.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters worldwide.

In Australia it is known from north-western Western Australia and from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.


Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.