African threadfish

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Species of fish

title: "African threadfish" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["alectis", "fish-of-africa", "fish-of-the-east-atlantic", "fish-of-the-mediterranean-sea", "marine-fish-of-west-africa", "fish-described-in-1817", "taxa-named-by-étienne-geoffroy-saint-hilaire"] description: "Species of fish" topic_path: "general/alectis" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_threadfish" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Species of fish ::

| status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = | image = Alectis-alexandrina.JPG | taxon = Alectis alexandrina | authority = (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) | synonyms =

  • Gallus alexandrinus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817
  • Scyris alexandrina (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)
  • Scyris alexandrinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)
  • Vomer alexandrinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)
  • Caranx alexandrinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)
  • Blepharis alexandrinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)
  • Alectis alexandrinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)
  • Gallichthys aegyptiacus (Cuvier, 1833)
  • Caranx goreensis (Cuvier, 1833)
  • Hynnis goreensis (Cuvier, 1833)
  • Selene goreensis (Cuvier, 1833) | range_map = Alectis alexandrinus distribution.PNG | range_map_caption =Approximate distribution of the African threadfish. Note there is only one record for the Adriatic Sea.

The African threadfish (Alectis alexandrina), also known as the Alexandria pompano, is a species of large marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The species is distributed along the coast of tropical Africa in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, extending to the Mediterranean Sea. Adults live predominantly in waters shallower than 70 m deep, often forming small schools. The African threadfish is similar in appearance to the closely related and co-occurring African pompano, with the species' most definitive feature its slightly concave head profile. Like other members of the genus Alectis, the juveniles of the species have long trailing dorsal and anal fins. The African threadfish is of minor commercial importance, and is also considered to be a game fish.

Taxonomy and naming

The African threadfish is one of three members of the diamond trevally genus Alectis, which is one of 33 genera in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae. The Carangidae are part of the order Carangiformes.

The species has a complex taxonomic history, featuring two species descriptions. The first description was made by the French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1817, in which he named the species Gallus alexandrinus, using the generic name Gallus which had been created by Lacépède after he recognised the genus distinct from Zeus, a genus of dories. However, Gallus was preoccupied by a bird, leading to the reassignment of the species to at least six different genera, before the species was placed in Alectis. The second description was made by Georges Cuvier in 1833 under the name of Gallichthys aegyptiacus. This name was also re-evaluated twice, before the description was discarded as a junior synonym of A. alexandrina. The species has also been incorrectly referred to as Alectis alexandrinus. However the genus is feminine and so alexandrina is the correct spelling.

The common names 'African threadfish' and 'Alexandria pompano' are in reference to the species prominent distribution around Africa, as well as the thread like appearance of the juveniles dorsal and anal fins.

Description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/African_threadfish.jpg" caption="scales]]. The lateral line is strongly curved anteriorly, with a section of 6 to 11 [[scute]]s toward the tail. Juveniles and often adults have long, filamentous trailing first anal and dorsal fin spines, a trait of all members of ''Alectis''. The species grows to at least 1 m in length."] ::

The African threadfish is silver in colour, often with blue and greenish tints and reflection, especially when fresh. The fins are all a pale silvery green to blue colour, or hyaline. Juveniles may show two dark bands on their lower bodies.

Distribution and habitat

The African threadfish is primarily distributed throughout the tropical eastern Atlantic Ocean, inhabiting the waters of West Africa from Morocco around to Angola. The species also has had several individuals taken from the Mediterranean and one extreme capture in the Adriatic Sea.

Adults are generally solitary in coastal waters, occupying lower parts of the water column, down to at least 70 m. Juveniles are usually pelagic and drift with ocean currents, sometimes ending up in estuarine environments.

Biology

Limited information is available on the species biology, with only the diet of the species confirmed. The African threadfish feeds on squid and other fishes. The reproduction in the species is largely unknown, but observations on Alectis ciliaris suggest individual fish may pair and then spawn.

Relationship to humans

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/African_threadfish_Ghana_2.jpg" caption="African threadfish taken off [[Ghana"] ::

The species is of minor importance to local fisheries throughout its range, and is also considered a good game fish, especially in larger sizes. The species is rarely targeted by anglers though, due to its comparative rarity. The fish also fetches high prices at market, unlike many other members of the Carangidae. The IGFA world record for the species stands at 8.10 kg caught off of Daklha, Morocco in 1993.

References

References

  1. Smith-Vaniz, W.F.. (2015). "''Alectis alexandrina''".
  2. (2016). "Fishes of the World". Wiley.
  3. Hosese, D.F.. (2007). "Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol. 35 (2) Fishes". CSIRO.
  4. {{FishBase. (2021)
  5. Gunn, John S.. (1990). "A revision of selected genera of the family Carangidae (Pisces) from Australian waters". Records of the Australian Museum.
  6. Bellemans, M. (1988). "Guide des Ressources Halieutiques Du Senegal et de la Gambie". FAO.
  7. Torcu, Hatic. (2001). "An investigation on fishes of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.
  8. Santos, R.S.. (1999). "Contribution to the knowledge of the coastal marine fishes of São Tomé Island (Gulf of Guinea)". Life and Marine Sciences.
  9. Dulcic, J.. (2005). "On the record of the African threadfish ''Alectis alexandrinus'' (Pisces: Carangidae) from the Adriatic Sea". [[Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom]].
  10. von Westernhagen, H.. (1974). "Observations on the natural spawning of ''Alectis indicus'' (Rüppell) and ''Caranx ignobilis'' (Forsk.) (Carangidae)". Journal of Fish Biology.
  11. "Threadfish, African". IGFA.

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alectisfish-of-africafish-of-the-east-atlanticfish-of-the-mediterranean-seamarine-fish-of-west-africafish-described-in-1817taxa-named-by-étienne-geoffroy-saint-hilaire