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Lepidocybium flavobrunneum

Palu Tavatava (PK)

Escolar

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type	Description	Download
Image:	Specimen (Pukapuka)	78KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Escolar; French Escolier Noir

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Palu Tavatava (PK)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE circumtropical - circumtemperate, including e.Africa - Easter, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to Kermadecs

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group - likely; N.Group (known from PK); Marine, near-shore, deepbottom (200 - 885 m)

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Food (1+), oily flesh

KEY FEATURES: A tuna-like fish to 120cm; with a single highly wavy lateral line. Dark brown to almost black, with dark fins. 1st Dorsal spines short 8-9. 2nd Dorsal rays 16-18; then 4-6 finlets. Anal similar size to 2nd Dorsal with spines 1-2; rays 12-14; then 4 finlets. Prominent keel on tailbase, with smaller keels above and below.

Enlarged Image of 'Lepidocybium flavobrunneum'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present? Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
			+

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith, 1843)
SYNONYMS: Cybium flavobrunneum [O]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Scombroidei; GEMPYLIDAE

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Cooks: Nakamura & Parin 1993, Snake Mackerels... FAO Fish Synop. 15 (125). Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, coll. Marurai Marurai and Vigo Jnr., ID GMcC, confirmed Andrew Stewart (NZMus).

References:
Special Reference: Nakamura & Parin 1993, Snake Mackerels... FAO Fish Synop. 15 (125).

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zD02, zupD04a, zM04a

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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