Collette and Gillis: Osteological differences between two species of Grammatorcynus 



45 



120 



150 



180 



• G. bilineatus 



• G. bicarinatus 



t 



it}k 



-^ 





^' 



h 



J0_ 



60 



90 



120 



150 



180 



60 



Figure 27 



Distribution of Grammatorcynus based on specimens examined and literature records. 



forms large schools. The spawning season in Fiji ex- 

 tends from October through March (Lewis et al. 1983). 

 Larvae and juveniles have been illustrated from the 

 Philippines (Wade 1951), Papua New Guinea (Nishi- 

 kawa 1979), and the South China Sea (Zhang 1981). 

 Food includes adult and juveniles of crustaceans and 

 fishes, particularly clupeoids such as Sardinella and 

 Thrissocles, but also includes other fishes such as 

 Sphyraena and Balistes (Silas 1963:831). 



Parasites Six species of parasitic copepods have been 

 reported from G. bilineatus (Cressey and Cressey 1980, 

 Cressey et al. 1983): Shiinoidae: Shiinoa ocdusa Kaba- 

 ta; Caligidae: Caligus asymmetricus Kabata, C. rega- 

 lis Leigh-Sharpe, C. bonito Wilson, C. pelamydis 

 Kr^yer, and C. productus Dana. The monogenean 

 Caballerocotyla sp. was found on an Okinawan speci- 

 men (Dyer et al. 1989). 



Interest to fisfieries Double-lined mackerel are taken 

 incidentally with hand lines off Port Blair, Andaman 

 Islands (Silas 1963). It is common in the offshore zones 



of Fiji but is only occasionally seen in Fiji markets 

 (Lewis et al. 1983). The flesh is reported to be mild and 

 pleasantly flavored but it is necessary to remove the 

 kidney tissue before cooking to avoid the ammonia 

 smell. This characteristic has given rise to one of the 

 Palauan names for the species, biturchturch, which 

 means urine (Johannes 1981:187). It is valued for 

 marlin bait in Queensland (McPherson 1984). 



i?ange Widespread near coral reefs in the tropical 

 and subtropical Indo-West Pacific (Fig. 27). Based on 

 literature, specimens examined, and photographs, 

 known from the Red Sea, Andaman Sea, East Indies, 

 Philippines, South China Sea, Ryukyu Islands, New 

 Guinea (New Britain, New Ireland, New Hanover, and 

 the Louisiade Archipelago), Australia (northern West- 

 ern Australia, from Dampier Archipelago north and 

 Queensland), Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Caro- 

 line Islands, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and Tokelau 

 Islands (photograph from Fakaofo Atoll received from 

 Robert Gillett, Regional Fishery Support Programme, 

 Suva, Fiji, Aug. 1985). 



