MACKEREL FROM THE NORTHERN INDIAN-OCEAN AND THE RED-SEA ARE SCOMBER AUSTRALASICUS, NOT SCOMBER JAPONICUS

The population of Scomber from the Red Sea and northern Indian Ocean ( gulfs of Aden and Oman) is identified as S. australasicus rather than S. japonicus based on having 30-33 vs. 26-29 interneural bones under t he first and second dorsal fins and the combination of interneural bon e counts of 16-20 under the first dorsal fin (vs. 13-16) and first dor sal fin spine counts of 10-13 (vs. 9-10). These are the best morpholog ical characters to distinguish these two species. This change in ident ification constitutes a major range extension for S. australasicus whi ch was thought to be restricted to the Pacific Ocean and the southeast ern Indian Ocean around Western Australia.