Trevally
Caranx ignobilis
The giant trevally, also called the lowly trevally, barrier trevally, giant kingfish or ulua, is a large marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. It ranges across the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, from South Africa to Hawaii and from Japan in the north to Australia in the south.
Family
Carangidae
Avg Size
80-170 cm
Habitat
This species occupies a very broad spread of inshore and offshore marine settings and can even tolerate the brackish waters of estuaries and rivers. Although it ranges throughout the water column and is regarded as semipelagic, it is mostly demersal, and is most abundant in shallow coastal habitats such as coral and rocky reefs, shorefaces, lagoons, bays, tidal flats and channels. Individuals frequently move between reef patches, crossing wide stretches of deeper sand and mud in between.
Behaviour
A powerful predator, the giant trevally hunts the estuaries it occupies as a juvenile and patrols outer reefs and atolls as an adult. The timing of its hunting differs by region: off South Africa it is most active by day, particularly at dawn and dusk, whereas off Zanzibar and Hong Kong it feeds at night. Its diet, studied across several countries and habitats, varies somewhat with location and age.
Where & When to See It
South Ras Abu Galum
Shaab Sataya
Shaab Claudia
The Canyon
Napoleon Reef
Abu Ghalawa
Lighthouse
Shaab Maksur
Ras Abu Helal
North Ras Abu Galum
El Erug
El Mina Wreck
Elphinstone
Erg Abu Ramada
Far Garden
Fury Shoals
Gordon Reef
Gota Abu Ramada
Habili Ali
Jackson Reef
Kormoran
Laguna Reef
Middle Garden
Shark Observatory
Abu Dabbab
Abu Kifan
Belina Wreck
Blue Hole - El Bells
Careless Reef
Daedalus Reef
Dunraven (Beacon Rock)
Eel Garden
Eel Gardens
North Gabr El Bint
Paradise
Ras Burg
Ras Ghozlani
Ras Katy
Salem Express
Sha'ab Sharm
Shaab El Erg
Shaab Eshta
Shaab Sabina
Shark's Bay
Soma Bay Garden
Temple
The Caves
Three Pools
Tower
Turtle Bay
Turtle Reef
Zabargad Island
Amphoras
Panorama Reef
Pinky Wall
Ras Bob
Ras Disha
Ras Ghamila
Ras Nasrani
Ras Um Sid
Ras Zaatar
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
Shaab Abu Nugar
Shaab Eissa
Shaab Petra
Shabrur Um Gamar
Shark & Yolanda Reef
Siyul Kebira
Small Crack
Small Giftun
Sodfa
The Alternatives
The Islands
Thomas Reef
Turft El Shahed
Umm Gamar North
Umm Gamar South
White Knight
Woodhouse Reef
Abu Hashish
Abu Ramada North
Abu Ramada South
Banana Reef
Big Giftun
El Fanadir
El Fanous West
Erg Sabina
Erg Somaya
Fiddle Garden
Hamda
Jackfish Alley
Moray Garden - Golden Blocks
Near Garden
Numidia
Big Brother Island
Carnatic
Habili Gaffar
Kimon M
Gota Kebir
Thistlegorm
The Barge at Bluff Point
The Ulysses
Rocky Island
Rosalie Moller
Bluff Point
Chrisoula K
Giannis D
Little Brother Island
Abu Nuhas
Gota Soraya
Umm Kharalim
Shag Rock (Kingston)
Aida