SPECIES PROFILEForFamily: Scombridae (Mackerel and Tuna)DescriptionThe king mackerel has an elongated and very laterally compressed body. The color of its body is predominantly iridescent blue with greenish reflections near the dorsal part and silvery sides. The first dorsal fin is equipped with spines and is colored uniformly with the body while the second dorsal fin is much darker and composed of rays. After the second dorsal there are eight to nine pinnules. The bottom of the king mackerel is silvery with eight to nine fins following the anal fin. The lateral line is located just above the shoulder and drops rapidly below the second dorsal fin and continues a sinuous trail to the tail. They typically range from 2.3kg to 16kg, with most males under ten kilos and most females above. Average lengths range from 50 cm to 90 cm. There are some reports that have weights in the hundred-pound range and lengths exceeding five feet. Juvenile kings and/or males weighing less than 10 lbs tend to have brown and yellowish spots (similar to Spanish mackerel). The tail has a large fork and the pectoral fins are scaled (Froese and Pauly, 2011; Kells and Carpenter, 2011). (Figure 1; www.dnr.sc.gov, 2013)Figure 1 King mackerel Scomberomorus cavallaDistributionWestern Atlantic: from Maine (rarely), from the United States to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with strong concentrations in the Gulf of Mexico. They can be found in the coastal waters of North Carolina. Water temperature can limit their distribution with a preference of 20°C-29°C (FLMNH, 2013). (Figure 1; Froese, R. and D. Pauly, 2011) Figure 1 highlighted in red and yellow shows the distribution and density of Scomberomorus cavalla along the east coast. Habitat Kingfish are preferable to warmer waters with…. .. medium paper ......nter. A field guide to coastal fishes: from Maine to Texas. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011. Print.-Marine Species. South Carolina Department of Resources 2013. February 5, 2014.-Moyle, Peter B, and Joseph J. Cech. Fishes: an introduction to ichthyology. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988. Print.—Perrotta, T. King Mackerel. Florida Museum of Natural Resources 2013. February 5, 2014. .-Schaefer, Charles H. and William A. Fable. “Mark Recapture Studies off the East Coast of Florida.” EBSCO Host (1994): n. page Web.-Wall, Carrie C. “Links Between Environmental Conditions and Recreational Activities of King Mackerel (Scomberomorus Cavalla) Off West Central Florida.” Fisheries Oceanography (2009): . Guest of EBSCO. Net