Home · Carangidae · Eye of the sea
Eye of the sea (Selar boops) — Carangidae

Eye of the sea

Selar boops
Family: Carangidae
LC · Least Concern

The Eye of the sea (Selar boops) is a saltwater fish of the family Carangidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
25 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
35.0–500.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The oxeye scad is a jack (Carangidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species reaches about 25 cm and has a streamlined, silvery body with large eyes, to which the name refers. Adults live inshore and form large schools by day; at night they disperse to feed on planktonic and benthic invertebrates such as crabs and shrimps. The eggs are pelagic. The species is a valued food fish regularly caught in coastal fisheries and marketed fresh.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Eye of the sea?

The Eye of the sea has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Eye of the sea live?

The Eye of the sea lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Eye of the sea get?

The Eye of the sea grows to a maximum of about 25 cm. On average the species is around 22 cm.

Is the Eye of the sea dangerous to humans?

No, the Eye of the sea is harmless to humans.

Is the Eye of the sea edible?

Yes, the Eye of the sea is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Grootoog-horsmakreel sourced
English name
Eye of the sea verified
Scientific name
Selar boops
Family
Carangidae
Other names
Oxeye scad verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
25.0 verified
Average length (cm)
22.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
35.0 verified
Max depth (m)
500.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Selar

More from the family Carangidae

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