Body elongate and rounded. Snout pointed; front and hind margins of eye covered by an adipose eyelid; teeth in upper and lower jaws small and conical; palatine narrow, with teeth in single or double rows; when double, rows close and running into each other. First dorsal fin with XI to XII spines; the second with 11 to 12 rays followed by 5 finlets; anal fin with 11 or 12 rays followed by 5 finlets; pectoral fins with 20 to 21 rays. Swimbladder present. No well developed corselet but body covered with rather small scales. Back with narrow oblique lines which zigzag and undulate; the belly is pearly white and marked with thin, wavy broken lines.
habitats
Occurs in coastal waters and also in oceanic waters. Schooling by size which may include jack mackerels and Pacific sardines. They are plankton feeders filtering copepods and other crustaceans, but adults also feed on small fish and squids. Also caught wi
Distribution
Western Pacific Ocean from China and Japan to Australia and New Zealand, east to the Hawaiian Islands but relatively rare in tropical waters. Eastern Pacific: Socorro and Revillagigedo islands, Mexico. It is very common in all Taiwanese waters.
Utility
Marketed fresh, dried-salted, smoked, canned and frozen.
Cuvier, G. etc. 1831 
