Description:

Dorsal spines: 9; Dorsal rays: 18-20 (2 separate dorsal fins, the first with 8 spines, the second with 1 spine and 18 to 20 soft rays) plus 7-9 finlets; Anal spines: 3 (anal fin with 2 detached spines followed by 1 spine); Anal rays: 16-17 plus 8-10 finlets.

Body elongate, subcylindrical, a little compressed posteriorly, caudal peduncle narrow and compressed with a marked medial keel. Snout and lower jaw pointed, with a single row of small teeth, except a narrow band anteriorly. Upper jaw has small villiform teeth and extends posteriorly to centre of eye. Adipose eyelid, well-developed, covering eye except for a vertical slit centred on pupil. 
Pectoral fin long, scythe-like. Lateral line strongly arched anteriorly, with junction of curved and straight parts below 4th or 5th spine of dorsal fin; straight part with 51 to 59 very large, prominent scutes. 
Breast naked ventrally and laterally in a triangular area for about one third distance to pectoral fin base.

Colour: head and body bluish-grey to green dorsally becoming silver on flanks and ventrally. Large black opercular spot. Dorsal and anal fins pale to yellow, distally dusky; pectoral and pelvic fins pale, with upper half dusky. Caudal fin dark, especially leading and trailing edges of fin. 
Juveniles may have prominent dark stripes along the sides.
 

Maturity: Lm 22.0  range unknown cm.
Max length : 80.0 cm TL; common length : 45.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 4.0 kg
 

Adults are a pelagic schooling species (depth 20-100 m) rarely seen around reefs. Feed mainly on fishes.
 

This species is not protected or subject to fisheries regulations.
Reported internationally as caught on hook and line, trawls and purse seines but is a very rare component of the local catch.
 

No other species of Carangidae has the combination of lateral line with very large scutes and posterior soft
dorsal and anal fin rays consisting of a series of detached finlets.

Thanks go to Mr. Faizal Suleman for bringing this specimen to our attention.

Bray, D.J. (2023). Megalaspis cordyla in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4275 (27/07/25)
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2025). FishBase. Megalaspis cordyla, Torpedo scad. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/384 (27/07/25). 
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. (1984). Carangidae. In W. Fischer and G. Bianchi (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean fishing area 51. Vol. 1. [pag. var.]. FAO, Rome.
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. & Williams, I. (2016). Megalaspis cordyla (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List 2016 https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T20432158A46664104.en. (27/07/25).
 

Nevill, J.E.G. & Suleman, F. Y. (2025). Megalaspis cordyla, Torpedo scad. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc.https://seatizens.sc/species/megalaspis-cordyla-linnaeus-1758/