Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Scombridae
- Genus
- Gempylus
- Species
- serpens
Habitat
Its depth range is 0-950 m, but is usually recorded shallower than 200 m.
Diet
The snake mackerel primarily feeds on smaller fish such as lanternfish and myctophids, as well as squid and crustaceans. It is an active pelagic predator that hunts in open waters, often at night or in low-light conditions. Feeding behavior involves swift chases to capture prey.
Behavior
Snake mackerel are solitary and highly migratory, often traveling long distances in the open ocean. They exhibit nocturnal feeding patterns, diving to deeper waters during the day and rising to shallower depths at night. This species is not territorial and tends to avoid surface waters except during feeding.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.