Eggs
Laid in open water, they float in the surface plankton.
Four-stage life cycle
Trevally
A powerful reef and offshore fish, fast and combative
A muscular pelagic predator, the trevally often hunts in organised schools and races up reef walls at high speed.
Life cycle (4 stages)
Larva
Larvae drift offshore and feed on zooplankton.
Juvenile
Young fish shelter in bays, mangroves and under floating objects.
Adult
It joins the reefs and open sea, alone or in a hunting school.
Physical changes
- Compressed, deep and very muscular body.
- Narrow caudal peduncle reinforced with scutes.
- Silver to golden reflections depending on the species.
- Males of some species darken during courtship.
Habitat
- Coral reefs
- Drop-offs and pinnacles
- Lagoons
- Open sea
- Estuaries for juveniles
Diet
- Small schooling fish
- Squid
- Crustaceans
- Cephalopods
Survival adaptations
- Extremely fast acceleration.
- Cooperative group hunting to surround baitfish schools.
- Sharp vision adapted to changing light.
- Hydrodynamic body resistant to current.
Ecological importance
- Regulating forage fish populations
- Transferring energy between open water and the reef
- Indicating the richness of a dive site
Importance
- Type : Pelagic bony fish (Carangidae family)
- Habitat shift : Pelagic eggs → Offshore larvae → Juveniles in bays and mangroves → Reef and pelagic adults
- Role : Top predator of the reef and the open sea.
- A prized fishing target: its decline quickly unbalances reefs.
Did you know?
Trevally sometimes follow divers to catch the fish flushed out by their bubbles.