Palometa

Palometa
Name: Palometa
Scientific Name: Trachinotus goodei
Family: Jacks
Taxonomic: Carangidae
ID Group: Silvery Fishes
Size: 7 - 13 in.
Depth Range: In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.)
Sightings: Seen sometimes

The Palometa has a silvery, compressed body with a light to dark yellow belly and four narrow dark bars on its sides. Its tail is deeply forked, and both the long, curved dorsal and anal fins have black edges. The black edges are more prominent in some individuals than in others. The tail is also tipped with black.

The Palometa is often seen in small groups in clear, shallow, sandy areas, where on Bonaire it may follow Southern Stingrays and Spotted Eagle Rays as they stir up food from the sand. Its diet includes small crustaceans, invertebrates, worms, and mollusks.