DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY OF SOME TELEOSTS 
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attains a weight of 50 to 75 pounds, and S. regalis 25 to 35 pounds, whereas S', macu- 
latus attains a maximum weight of only 20 to 25 pounds. The average run in weight 
of these species respectively in the order named, however, is only about 7, 5, and 2 
pounds. 
The Spanish mackerel and the ceros or kingfishes are all of wide distribution. 
The Spanish mackerel (S. maculatus ) ranges from Cape Cod, Mass., (sometimes as 
far north as Maine) south to Brazil on the Atlantic coast and from San Diego, Calif., 
to the Galapagos Islands on the Pacific. The ceros ( S . cavalla and S. regalis) are 
about equally as widely distributed on the Atlantic, though they do not occur on the 
Pacific coast. S. cavalla and S. maculatus are recorded also from the Atlantic coast of 
Africa. All the species seem to be chiefly of southern distribution, large quantities 
being taken in southern Florida, on the Gulf coast, and southward. 
The Spanish mackerel, like the other species of the genus, is migratory. It 
appears on the coast off Beaufort, N. C., in the spring, generally arriving in April, 
and it returns again in the fall, comparatively few remaining during the summer. 
According to local fishermen and fish dealers the fish of the spring run are poor and 
contain green roe. This statement is affirmed by our limited observations. In the 
fall the fish are fat and without roe. Spawning takes place during the summer, as 
shown subsequently, at a time when the fish locally are scarce. Therefore, the 
vicinity of Beaufort evidently is not an important spawning area. 
The ceros occur off Beaufort chiefly in the fall, and are scarce or absent the rest 
of the 3 T ear. All three species of Scomberomorus discussed are taken in large numbers 
in southern Florida and on the Gulf coast during the winter, when they are absent in 
North Carolina and northward. 
CHARACTERS OF THE ADULT 
Adult Scomberomorus are recognized by the elongate, little-compressed body; 
long pointed snout ; large mouth with strong teeth ; and by a keel of skin on the sides 
of the tail posteriorly. The dorsal fin is long, composed of 14 to 18 feeble spines, 14 
to 18 soft rays, followed by 7 to 10 separate finlets. The anal fin similarly is followed 
by about an equal number of finlets and the caudal fin is deeply forked. The general 
color is silvery, generally with spots and markings that differ among the species. 
The three species of Scomberomorus herein considered are rather closely related. 
However, S. cavalla is distinguishable by the more slender body and the abruptly 
decurved lateral line under the second dorsal. Furthermore, the origin of the anal 
usually is under the middle of the dorsal, whereas in the related species it is a little 
farther forward. Large individuals of S. cavalla are plain bluish above and silvery 
below, without spots, though young ones are described as having bronze spots. 
S. regalis differs from the other species in having scales on the pectoral fins and 
in having one or two continuous black lines along the side. In addition to the black 
lines it retains elliptical bronze spots throughout life. 
/S', maculatus, as stated elsewhere, runs smaller in size than the related species. 
It has no scales on the pectoral fins, and no black line on the side, though it has bronze 
spots. The lateral line, as in S. regalis, is more gently decurved under the second 
dorsal than in S. cavalla. In S. maculatus the anterior part of the first dorsal, back 
to about the fifth spine, is wholly black, whereas in the limited number of specimens 
of S. regalis examined only the outer two-thirds of that part of the fin are black, the 
base being white. 
