Description:

Dorsal spines: 17-19; Anal spines: 0; Anal rays: 14-16; Vertebrae: 44-45.

Body oblong and moderately deep. Mouth moderately large. Jaws with a row of relatively large conical teeth. Body mostly covered with small scales but with corselet of thick scales at front of body. Dorsal Ray followed by 7 to 9 finlets. Anal Ray followed by 6 to 7 finlets. Mid lateral fleshy keel on caudal peduncle continues onto tail fin base between two smaller keels. Colour. Head and body bluish grey, with 5 to 10 slightly oblique dark stripes dorsally. Faint bars sometimes visible on middle of body. Juveniles have dark vertical bars on body.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 102cm FL. Commonly to 55cm TL.

A coastal pelagic species, including islands (depth 1-167m. usually 1-30m). Often found schooling with other small scombrids. Feeds on fish, squid, pelagic crustaceans. Little known on this species biology.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the hand line fishery, trolling and in nets, but is a relatively uncommon component of the catch.

The all-tackle angling record is a 10.65 kg fish with a fork length of 89.5 cm taken off Mahe, Seychelles, in 1975.

Collette, B.B. & Nauen, C.E. (1983). FAO Species catalogue. Vol. 2 Scombrids of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated catalogue of Tunas, Mackerels, Bonitos and Related Species Known to Date. FAO 1983. ISBN 92-5-101381-0

Collette, B. et al 2011. Sarda orientalis. The IUCN Red List 2011: e.T170313A6743337. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170313A6743337.en. (01/06/19).

Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. 2019. FishBase. https://www.fishbase.cn/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=114 (01/06/19).