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Big jawed jumber (Lactarius lactarius) — Lactariidae

Big jawed jumber

Lactarius lactarius
Family: Lactariidae

The Big jawed jumber (Lactarius lactarius) is a brackish-water fish of the family Lactariidae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
15.0–100.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The false trevally is the only species in the family Lactariidae and occurs in the Indo-West Pacific. The species has a laterally compressed, silvery body with a large, obliquely upturned mouth and a fairly large head. It lives in schools in coastal waters to about 100 m deep. As a fast predator it hunts small fishes, shrimps and other crustaceans. It is a valued but quickly perishable food fish. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Big jawed jumber?

The Big jawed jumber has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Big jawed jumber live?

The Big jawed jumber lives in brackish water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Big jawed jumber get?

The Big jawed jumber grows to a maximum of about 40 cm. On average the species is around 30 cm.

Is the Big jawed jumber dangerous to humans?

No, the Big jawed jumber is harmless to humans.

Is the Big jawed jumber edible?

Yes, the Big jawed jumber is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Valse trevally sourced
English name
Big jawed jumber verified
Scientific name
Lactarius lactarius
Family
Lactariidae
Other names
Big jawed jumper; Big-jaw jumper; Big-jawed jumper; False trevally verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
40.0 verified
Average length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
15.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Sportvissen met kunstaas of (dood/levend) aasvis door te trollen, te werpen of drijvend te vissen in open water. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

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