Malabar Trevally

Interesting Info

• The Malabar Trevally (Carangoides malabaricus) is a sleek, silvery jack with faint vertical bars and a bluish-green back that blends with the sea.
• It can grow up to 60 cm (2 ft) long and weigh about 2.5 kg (5.5 lb), though most are much smaller, between 25–40 cm (10–16 in).
• In Australia, Malabar Trevally are found across the tropical north – from Western Australia through the Northern Territory and Queensland, extending down into northern New South Wales.
• Globally, they range widely across the Indo–West Pacific, from East Africa and the Red Sea to India, Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, and the central Pacific islands.
• Juveniles often display clearer vertical bars and sometimes a yellowish tint on their fins, which fades as they grow.
• Adults are more silvery, sometimes with faint spots, and their body is more elongated than deeper-bodied trevallies like the Bludger Trevally.
• They school in midwater above sandy bays, reefs, and coastal slopes, often mixing with other trevally species.
• Malabar Trevally feed on small fishes, crustaceans, and squid, hunting in bursts of speed.
• Spawning takes place offshore, with eggs and larvae drifting in the open ocean before juveniles settle in coastal habitats.
• They are relatively short-lived, with lifespans of about 5–7 years.
• Predators such as larger trevallies, mackerels, and sharks hunt them regularly.
• Divers and snorkellers may see their shimmering schools cruising sandy bottoms or patrolling reef slopes.