You Don't Know Jacks! A Guide to Gulf of Mexico Seriola Jacks

Species

Full Body

First Dorsal Fin Spine #

Maxilla-Eye Alignment

Key Characteristics

Banded rudderfish

• Slender body
• May have a yellow stripe from mouth to tail
• Bony keel on tail
• Tips of tail are white
• Anal fin approximately half the length of second dorsal fin
• Silver-green in color

8

Maxilla extends past the center of the eye.

• Bony keel by tail
• White-tipped tail
• Flat-edged mouth
• Maximum fork length: 2’3”

Lesser amberjack

• Dark stripe from eye ends before first dorsal fin
• Anal fin approximately two-thirds the length of second dorsal fin
• Silver-brown in color

8

Maxilla extends to the front edge of the eye.

• Blunt mouth
• Stripe not to first dorsal fin
• Proportionally larger eye
• Maximum fork length: 2’2”

Greater amberjack

• Dark stripe from eye to middle of first dorsal fin
• Anal fin more than two-thirds the length of second dorsal fin
• Silver-brown in color

7

Maxilla extends to the center of the eye. Corner of maxilla is upturned.

• Slender body
• Stripe to first dorsal fin
• Corner of mouth upturned
• Maximum fork length: 3’7”

Almaco jack

• Deep body
• Dark stripe from eye to middle of first dorsal fin
• Beginning of second dorsal fin and anal fin elongated
• Anal fin nearly the length of second dorsal fin
• Bronze-gray in color

7

Maxilla extends past the front edge of the eye.

• Deep body
• Tall dorsal and anal fins
• Maximum fork length: 2’7”