Carangidae Rafinesque 1815

Family Carangidae Rafinesque 1815 View in CoL View at ENA ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Jacks, Amberjacks, Crevalles, Jack-Mackerels, Leatherjackets, Lookdowns, Pilot-Fishes, Pompanos, Scads, Trevallies; Jureles, Palometas, Zapateros, Pámpanos, Cocineros, Jorobados, Orquetas, Hojaranes, Chicharros, Macarelas, Caballas, Casabes, Peces Piloto, Jureles Cuero

Description: Body robust, but generally compressed (ranging from very deep to fusiform); up to 130 cm in length; scales generally cycloid, small, ctenoid in a few species (scales on the posterior portion of the lateral line are usually modified into spiny scutes), naked areas variously developed; up to nine detached finlets sometimes present behind dorsal and anal fins; two dorsal fins in large juveniles and adults, the first one with 4–8 spines (which in a few species are very short and lack a continuous membrane) and the second one with one spine and 17–44 soft rays; usually three anal spines with the first two (rarely only one) detached from the rest of the anal fin and usually 15–39 soft rays; caudal peduncle slender; caudal fin widely forked; generally silvery in color ( Robertson & Allen 2015, Nelson et al. 2016). Distribution: Marine, rarely brackish or freshwaster; Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans ( Nelson et al. 2016). Four genera and ten species in Nicaraguan freshwaters.