Description: Color blue or greenish blue on back, sides silvery; large mouth; prominent teeth, sharp and compressed; dorsal and anal fins nearly the same size; scales small; lateral line almost straight.

Similar fish: Blue runner, C. crysos.

Where found: Young usually inshore spring and summer; moving offshore to join adults in fall and winter; stron migration of northeast Atlantic stock to Florida east coast in winter.

Size: Most west coast catches under 3 pounds, much larger on east coast, up to 14 pounds.

Remarks: Travels in large schools, following schools of batifish; cannibalistic; all members of a given school about the same size; spawning occurs offshore in spring and summer.