Details
Rachycentron canadum
The cobia is a large coastal and offshore fish with a sharklike profile. It often travels alone near floating objects, large animals, or structures while hunting crustaceans and fish.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It is widespread in warm coastal and offshore waters of the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean. Reefs, buoys, driftwood, bay mouths, and large marine animals can all attract it.
Length 100-200 cm; weight 15 kg-60 kg. The back is dark brown, the belly pale, and a light stripe runs from head to tail. A flattened head and short isolated dorsal spines are distinctive.
Diurnal adults are mostly solitary, though small groups form around feeding sites. Curious individuals may approach boats and floating debris.
A carnivore, it eats crabs, other crustaceans, small fishes, and squid. It hunts from the bottom to surface waters.
Spawning occurs in warm seasons in more open water. Larvae drift, and juveniles often appear around coastal structure.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
