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Whitemouth jack (Uraspis uraspis) — Carangidae

Whitemouth jack

Uraspis uraspis
Family: Carangidae
LC · Least Concern

The Whitemouth jack (Uraspis uraspis) is a saltwater fish of the family Carangidae that grows up to 28 cm.

Length
28 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
20.0–140.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The whitemouth jack is a jack from the Indo-West Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf through India to the Philippines, Hawaii and northern Australia. The species grows to about 28 cm and is named for the conspicuously white inside of the mouth and tongue against a dark body. It lives in open coastal water between 20 and 140 metres depth and hunts bottom crustaceans and squid. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Whitemouth jack?

The Whitemouth jack has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Strikingly white inside of the mouth and tongue

Where does the Whitemouth jack live?

The Whitemouth jack lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Whitemouth jack get?

The Whitemouth jack grows to a maximum of about 28 cm.

Is the Whitemouth jack dangerous to humans?

No, the Whitemouth jack is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Whitemouth jack edible?

Yes, the Whitemouth jack is commonly eaten.

More photos

Whitemouth jack (Uraspis uraspis) — Carangidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Kare Kare (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Whitemouth jack (Uraspis uraspis) — Carangidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Ken Graham, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Whitemouth jack (Uraspis uraspis) — Carangidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Georgia Poyner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Whitemouth jack (Uraspis uraspis) — Carangidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Matt Wilkie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Whitemouth jack verified
Scientific name
Uraspis uraspis
Family
Carangidae
Other names
Bassett-hulls trevally; Six-band brown jack; Whitemouth jack; White-mouth jack; Whitetongue jack; Whitemouth trevally verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
140.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Benthic crustaceans and squid sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Coastal schooling mackerel relative; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Strikingly white inside of the mouth and tongue sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Uraspis

More from the family Carangidae

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