Coastal Trevally

Turrum coeruleopinnatum

The Coastal Trevally is a marine fish found in tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific, ranging from East Africa to Samoa and Tonga, and extending north to Japan and south to Australia and New Caledonia. It typically inhabits reef-associated environments, preferring depths from 1 to 60 meters. Divers are likely to encounter this species in small groups over sandy bottoms near reefs, though adults are more commonly found in deeper coastal reefs. This species can be identified by its bluish-green coloration above and silvery-grey below, with numerous small yellow spots on its sides and a small black blotch on the upper margin of the opercle. The Coastal Trevally has a distinctive dorsal fin structure, with young individuals displaying a filamentous second dorsal fin that becomes shorter with age. Mature adults have a second dorsal-fin lobe that is distinctly shorter than the head length. The Coastal Trevally is considered to be of Least Concern by the IUCN. It is harmless to humans and is involved in minor commercial fisheries as well as being a gamefish.