Pompano


Pompanos are marine fish in the genus Trachinotus in the family Carangidae. Pompano may also refer to various other, similarly shaped members of Carangidae, or the order Perciformes. They are found worldwide in warmer seas, sometimes also entering brackish waters.

Description

Their appearance is of deep-bodied fishes, exhibiting strong lateral compression, with a rounded face and pronounced curve to the anterior portion of their dorsal profile. Their ventral profile is noticeably less curved by comparison, while their anterior profile is straight-edged, tapering sharply to a narrow caudal peduncle. Their dorsal and anal fins are typically sickle-shaped, with very long anterior rays and a succession of much shorter rays behind, with a similarly long & curved, deeply forked tail which has a narrow base. They are typically overall silvery in color, sometimes with dark or yellowish fins, and one or a few black markings on the side of their body.
They are toothless and are relatively large fish, up to about long, although most species reach no more than half or two-thirds of that size.

Species

The 21 currently recognized species in this genus are:
SpeciesCommon nameImage
Trachinotus africanus
J. L. B. Smith, 1967		southern pompano
Trachinotus anak
J. D. Ogilby, 1909		oyster pompano
Trachinotus baillonii
smallspotted dart
Trachinotus blochii
snubnose pompano
Trachinotus botla
largespotted dart
Trachinotus carolinus
Florida pompano
Trachinotus cayennensis
G. Cuvier, 1832		Cayenne pompano
Trachinotus coppingeri
Günther, 1884		swallowtail dart
Trachinotus falcatus
permit
Trachinotus goodei
D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1896		palometa
Trachinotus goreensis
G. Cuvier, 1832		longfin pompano
Trachinotus kennedyi
Steindachner, 1876		blackblotch pompano
Trachinotus macrospilus
Smith-Vaniz & Walsh, 2019		Marquesas dart
Trachinotus marginatus
G. Cuvier, 1832		plata pompano
Trachinotus maxillosus
G. Cuvier, 1832		Guinean pompano
Trachinotus mookalee
G. Cuvier, 1832		Indian pompano
Trachinotus ovatus
pompano
Trachinotus paitensis
G. Cuvier, 1832		Paloma pompano
Trachinotus rhodopus
T. N. Gill, 1863		gafftopsail pompano
Trachinotus stilbe
steel pompano
Trachinotus teraia
G. Cuvier, 1832		shortfin pompano

Human interactions

Of the 21 recognized species, most are valued as food and some are considered game fish, including the permit. Several United States Navy submarines have been named after this genus: USS Pompano and USS Permit.