The cottonmouth jack (Uraspis secunda) is a species of marine gamefish in the family Carangidae (the jack family). It was first described in 1860 by Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey in his two-volume work Historia Natural de la Isla de Cuba. It is also known as the cottonmouth trevally.
Description
Adult cottonmouth jack are typically dark in color, while juveniles are pale with six or seven brown vertical bars along their sides. The species derives its common name from the distinctive bleach-white interior of its mouth and tongue, which sets it apart from other members of the Carangidae family. The dorsal fin contains nine spines and 27 to 32 soft rays, while the anal fin has three spines and 19 to 23 soft rays. The maximum recorded length is 50 cm (approx. 20 inches), and the greatest published weight is 2.04 kg (approx. 4.5 lbs).
Distribution and Habitat
The cottonmouth jack has a circumtropical distribution, occurring in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Its depth range extends from 1 to 36 meters (3.3 to 118.1 ft). In the western Atlantic, it is found from Massachusetts south to Brazil, including the northern Gulf of Mexico. In the eastern Atlantic, its range extends from Mauritania to Angola, and it has also been recorded off the western coast of South Africa. In the western Indian Ocean, it occurs off the coast of Tanzania. In the eastern Pacific, it is known from California to Costa Rica and Hawaii.
This species is pelagic and typically inhabits deeper offshore waters along continental shelves and slopes. It usually swims throughout the water column but is occasionally observed feeding near the bottom around islands. Cottonmouth jack are not found in large numbers and are typically encountered as individuals or in small schools.
Taxonomy
The species was originally described as Caranx secundus by Poey in 1860. It has since accumulated several synonyms, including Caranx hullianus, Leucoglossa albilinguis, Uraspis reversa, Uraspis riukiuensis, Uraspis heidi, Uraspis wakiyai, and Uraspis cadenati.
Conservation Status
The cottonmouth jack is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
