Fun Banded Rudderfish Facts For Kids

The banded rudderfish (Seriola zonata) is a fish that belongs to the jack family. They are also known by some other names like the slender amberjack, shark pilot, and banded mackerel. The species of banded rudderfish is distributed all over the Western Atlantic Ocean. They reside in the Atlantic waters along the Mexican coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Yutacan peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. Some consider that some banded rudderfish also live in Cuban waters but there is no confirmation regarding this information. They spend most of their lives near the rocky hard bottom at depths ranging between 181-1000 ft (55-305 m).

The juveniles can be often observed attached to floating debris and weed lines in the water. This species of banded rudderfish are known to follow sharks and other large fishes in the sea. The fish is extremely prone to fishing and harvesting as they are considered to be a local delicacy. However, harvesting does not seem to affect the population of this species as there is no indication of regional declines. To know more about the banded rudderfish, keep on reading these facts.

For similar content, check out neon goby and round goby facts too.

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What type of animal is a banded rudderfish?

A banded rudderfish (Seriola zonata) is a type of fish.

What class of animal does banded rudderfish belong to?

A banded rudderfish of Carangiformes order and Carangidae family belongs to the class Actinopterygii, the class for all ray-finned bony fishes.

How many banded rudderfish are there in the world?

The banded rudderfish is a New World fish species that occurs in abundance throughout its range, although its population is still unknown. Since the fish has commercial value, fishing is practiced in their range all year round. However, fishing has not majorly affected the banded rudderfish population and currently, they are following a stable population trend.

Where does a banded rudderfish live?

A large part of the population inhabits areas off the Atlantic coast in the United States while few populate the waters around the Gulf of Mexico. Their range extends from the south of Maine, possibly from Nova Scotia to Sao Paulo. They are also found in the eastern zone of Turks and Caicos and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. From there, the species enters South America through the coast of  Barranquilla, Santos, Colombia, and Brazil. Some banded rudderfish also populate the Caribbean Sea.

What is a banded rudderfish's habitat?

A banded rudderfish is a pelagic and epibenthic fish found in the coastal waters over the continental shelf. The natural habitat of this fish includes nearshore or offshore water over hard bottom substrates. They generally inhabit shallower water than other amberjacks.

Who do banded rudderfish live with?

These fishes prefer to stay alone. However, there is no information regarding the living habits of a banded rudderfish.

How long does a banded rudderfish live?

The lifespan of a banded rudderfish is unknown.

How do they reproduce?

There is little information regarding the reproduction methods of the fish. They have been observed to spawn throughout the year in offshore waters.

What is their conservation status?

The banded rudderfish is listed as a species of Least Concern in the International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List. The fish is locally abundant and they occur throughout a large range. All these criteria means they do not fall under the threshold for a vulnerable species.

What do banded rudderfish look like?

The banded rudderfish is a type of moderately broad fish with a rounded tip. The body looks elongated and laterally compressed which ends in a long pointed snout. They appear robust with a sleek and slender forktail. On the dorsal and the ventral surface of the fish, small grooves or depressions are present throughout the body. The adult species of banded rudderfish do not have any bands on their body like their juvenile counterparts. Their body color ranges from greenish to bluish with a touch of brownish shades. The second dorsal fin in the rudderfish is two times bigger in size than its anal fin and the dark caudal fin ends in white tips. Although the dorsal fin is dark, its second dorsal fin has some markings on its margin. The juvenile species of banded rudderfish have six dark bands that run vertically throughout the body along their flanks and a dark stripe runs from the eyes to the first dorsal fin. In some adult specimens, the dark stripe running from the eyes to the first dorsal fin remains prominent and sometimes an amber stripe can be seen running from the snout along their flanks.  

How cute are they?

Juvenile baned rudderfish have beautiful stripes which make them look attractive.

How do they communicate?

Fishes are known to communicate by releasing chemical compounds like pheromones. They also use smell, sound vibrations, and vision to communicate with each other.

How big is a banded rudderfish?

The average length of a banded rudderfish is 31 in (78 cm). They are smaller than species of salmon that measure 19.6-59 in (50-150 cm).

How fast can a banded rudderfish swim?

The speed of a banded rudderfish has not been determined.

How much does a banded rudderfish weigh?

The average weight of a banded rudderfish is 11 lb (5.2 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male and the female species do not have any specific names. Both of them are called banded rudderfish.

What would you call a baby banded rudderfish?

A baby-banded rudderfish is called a fry. Sometime,s the babies also form associations with jellyfish

What do they eat?

The adult species of banded rudderfish feed on small fishes and crustaceans.

Are they poisonous?

No, they are not poisonous. A banded rudderfish is consumed by many as it is considered a delicacy in some regions.

Would they make a good pet?

Not really. You might be able to see a juvenile banded rudderfish displayed in saltwater aquariums because of their beautiful stripes.

Did you know...

Fishing is comparatively easier for these fishes as catching them does not need any specific fishing techniques. They are listed as a recreational and tasty catch throughout their local range.

What are the different types of fish in the Carangidae family?

The Carangidae family is one of the largest families of fishes that consists of many ray-finned fishes like the jack fish, scads, runners, pompanos, and jack mackerels. Some of these fishes are crevalle jack, blue runner, amberjack, and Pacific jack mackerel.

What is the difference between banded rudderfish vs amberjack?

Both fishes are marine fishes that belong to the jack family. However, there are some differences between the two. The size and habitat choice differ between the amberjack and the banded rudderfish is one of them. Also, banded rudderfish have a much slender and shorter body than amberjacks whereas the body of amberjack is deeply structured. Greater amberjacks have a deeper structure than lesser amberjacks.  Apart from that, banded rudderfish live in much shallower water than other amberjacks, and fishing for them goes on all year round.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these lambchop rasbora facts and pigfish facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable fish coloring pages.