Palometa

This small species is a member of the Carangidae family of jacks and pompano. A bright silvery fish with a deep body, the palometa may be grayish-green and blue above and yellowish on the breast.

Palometa has dark, prolonged dorsal and butt-centric blades that are flanked in a somewhat blue shade and a dark-edged tail. It also has four narrow bars that vary from black to white and are located high on the sides. Traces of a fifth bar appear near the tail. It is similar to the Florida pompano, but the front lobes of the dorsal and the anal fins are blackish and very elongate (the tips reach back to the middle of the caudal fin).

Spawning behavior

This species is thought to spawn offshore in the spring, the summer, and the fall. The palometa rarely reaches 1 pound in weight and is usually 7 to 14 inches long; 18 inches is its maximum length.

The all-tackle world record weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces. Palometa feed on crustaceans, marine worms, mollusks, and small fish.