Synopsis of the Biological Date on the 

 Pacific Mackerel, Scomber japonicus 

 Houttuyn (Northeast Pacific) 



By 



DAVID KRAlvlER, Fishery Biologist 



Bureau of Commercial Fisheries 



Fishery-Oceanography Center 



La Jolla, California 92037 



ABSTRACT 



This synopsis attempts to bring together all knowledge extant on the identity 

 (nomenclature, taxonomy, morphology), distribution, bionomics, life history, 

 population, fishery, and protection and management of the Pacific mackerel. 



INTRODUCTION 



BCF (Bureau of Commercial Fisheries) has 

 assigned the preparation of synopses on var- 

 ious economically important species to a 

 number of its laboratories. Most of these 

 synopses will be published in the U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service Circular series,' and 

 will follow the format presented in "Prepara- 

 tion of synopses on the biology of species of 

 living aquatic organisms," by H. Rosa Jr., 

 Biology Branch, Department of Fisheries, 

 Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

 United Nations. 



Pneumatophorus diego (Ayres) Jordan and 

 Hubbs (1925: 221). California. 



1.2 Taxonomy 



1,21 Affinities 



Phylum Chordata 



Class Teleostomi 



Order Perciformes 



Family Scombridae 



1 IDENTITY 



1. 1 Nonnenclature 



1.11 Valid name 

 Scomber japonicus Houttuyn. 



1.12 Synonomy 



Scomber iaponicus Houttuyn (1782: 331). 

 Japan. 



Pneumatophorus iaponicus (Houttuyn, 1782); 

 Starks (1921: 222-223). 



Scomber diego Ayres (1856: 101). Santa 

 Barbara, Calif. 



One synopsis, written by MacGregor, has appeared in 

 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Scientific 

 Report — Fisheries series. 



SCOMBER 



Scomber Linnaeus 



Scomber Artedi, in Linnaeus (1758: 297) 

 (S. scombrus Linnaeus). 



Cordylus Gronow (1854: 163) ( Scomber 

 scombrus L.). 



Pneumatophorus Jordan and Gilbert ( 1883: 

 593) (as subgenus). Starks (1921: 222- 

 223), 



Matsui (1967) separated the mackerels into 

 two genera. Scomber and Rastrelliger , and 

 cited differences in 14 characters, chief of 

 which were the presence in Scomber of vomer - 

 ine and palatine teeth (lacking in Rastrelliger ) 

 and a well-developed anal fin spine (lacking in 

 adult Rastrelliger ). Other differences included: 

 the hypohyal nearly as long as or longer than 



