Home · Carangidae · Bigeye trevally
Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) — Carangidae

Bigeye trevally

Caranx sexfasciatus
Family: Carangidae
LC · Least Concern

The Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Carangidae that grows up to 120 cm.

Length
120 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–146.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The bigeye trevally is a large, powerful jack of the family Carangidae reaching about 1.2 metres. The deep, silvery body has notably large eyes, often a white tip on the second dorsal fin and a row of bony scutes along the tail base. The species lives around reefs, in coastal water and estuaries of the Indian and Pacific Oceans; juveniles range far into brackish and fresh water. By day it sometimes forms large, slowly circling schools, but mainly at dusk it hunts actively for fish, shrimp and other crustaceans. Because of its size, power and fight it is a prized sport fish and with its flesh an important market and coastal species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bigeye trevally?

The Bigeye trevally has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Bigeye trevally live?

The Bigeye trevally lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Bigeye trevally get?

The Bigeye trevally grows to a maximum of about 120 cm. On average the species is around 60 cm.

Is the Bigeye trevally dangerous to humans?

No, the Bigeye trevally is harmless to humans.

Is the Bigeye trevally edible?

Yes, the Bigeye trevally is commonly eaten.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Grootoog-horsmakreel verified
English name
Bigeye trevally verified
Scientific name
Caranx sexfasciatus
Family
Carangidae
Other names
Bigeye jack; Bigeye kingfish; Big-eye kingfish; Bigeye trevally verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
120.0 verified
Average length (cm)
60.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater verified
Substrate
Open water verified
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
146.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten verified
Fishing method
Vissen met kunstaas of aasvisje bij riffen en stromingen; een krachtige, gewilde sportvis sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Caranx

More from the family Carangidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →