# Amberjack I.D.



## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Can anyone I.D. what kind of AJ this is? Sorry for the fish being kind of side ways and the pic kind of small but maybe someone can tell. Also, how do you tell the difference between greater, lesser, almaco, and banned rudder fish? 

Our guess was a banned rudder fish but didn't want to chance it.


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## fishn4fun (May 11, 2008)

Hard to tell from the pic but I'm gonna say def not a almaco


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Honestly looks like a juvenile greater to me


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## grouper1963 (Feb 28, 2008)

Juvenile Grtr AJ. 

You'll be able to tell the Almacos as they are thinner and more diamond shaped - get a fish ID book. Couldn't tell you about Banded Rudderfish...

The way to tell Lesser from Greater has something to do with the counting gill tangs and some other mumbo jumbo. And even if you can differentiate the lessers from greaters, the FWC officers won't know how and won't believe you anyway - they'll write you a ticket, seize the fish, and see you in court to prove your argument.

Apart from the Almacos, my advice is to treat them all as Greater AJs....they are the dominant species anyway.


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## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Yeah we have a fish I.D. book. It's still hard to tell lol


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

*Biology* 
Greater amberjack
 _© George Burgess_







_· Distinctive Features_ The greater amberjack is slender, fusiform jack with a short and pointed head and relatively small eyes. The terminally located mouth is large with a posteriorly broad maxilla reaching the middle of the eye. The pectoral fins are shorter than the head, and approximately equal in length to the pelvic fins. The second dorsal fin is much longer than the anal fin and the caudal peduncle is deep with grooves above and below the base of the caudal fin. Finlets and scutes are absent in this species. The v-shaped caudal fin is lunate, or moon-shaped, efficient for fast swimming in pursuit of prey. 

Greater amberjacks are often confused with A. _Seriola Fasciata_ is the Lesser Amberjack, B. _Seriola Riviolana_ is the Almaco jack, and C. _Seriola Zonata_ is the Banded Rudderfish.
 _© George Burgess_







Often confused with other species, the greater amberjack may be distinguished by the number of gill rakers and the length of the anal fin. Gill rakers are finger-like extensions projecting from the front gill arch. Greater amberjacks possess 11-19 gill rakers and a long anal fin base. In contrast, lesser amberjacks (_Seriola fasciata_) have 21-24 gill rakers and a long anal fin base, almaco jacks (_Seriola rivoliana_) have 21-26 gill rakers and a long anal fin base, and banded rudderfish (_Seriola zonata_) have 12-16 gill rakers and a short anal fin base. 


_· Coloration_ The greater amberjack, largest of the jacks, has a brownish or bluish grey dorsal side (above the lateral line) and a silvery white ventral side. There is a dark amber stripe running from the nose to just in front of the dorsal fin. This stripe becomes more defined during feeding activity or when the fish is excited. The greater amberjack also has a dusky "mask" stretching from the upper jaw through the eye to the first dorsal fin. Some individuals may have a pale yellow stripe along the sides. 

Juvenile greater amberjacks have five dark body bands that are vertically irregularly split with a sixth band at the end of the caudal peduncle. The body bands do not extend onto the dorsal and anal fin membranes; the fins are transparent. 


_·Dentition_ Greater amberjack have minute teeth arranged in a broad band in the upper and lower jaws. 


Greater amberjacks grow to approximately 6.2 feet (1.9 m) total length
 _© George Burgess_







_·Size, Age, and Growth_ Great amberjacks grow to a maximum total length of 6.2 feet (1.9 m). Although the maximum published weight of this species is 80.6 kg, these fish typically reach about 39.7 pounds (18 kg) in weight. Females grow larger in size and live longer than males. Maximum life span is believed to be at least 17 years. Sexual maturity is attained at approximately 4 to 5 years of age. 


Greater amberjacks herding a school of bigeye scad
 _© Doug Perrine_







_· Food Habits_ As opportunistic predators, greater amberjacks feed on benthic and pelagic fishes as well as squid and crustaceans. Fish commonly preyed upon by the greater amberjack include the bigeye scad (_Selar crumenophthalmus_) and sardines (_Sardinella aurita_, and _Sardinella pilchardus_). Juvenile greater amberjacks feed on plankton such as decapod larvae and other small invertebrates. 

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Links/links.htm


http://www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/fish/saltwater-fish/


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## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Thank you Kim. I'll have to start counting the gill rakers


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/id-lesser-vs-greater-aj-105641/


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

I found this and it's about the best I've seen so far for identification.


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