Atlantic horse mackerel
Trachurus trachurus
Sighting evidence at Baixo do Sul, Azores — Faial and Pico
Atlantic horse mackerel form massive bait balls above Baixo do Sul that attract virtually every large predator in the area. They school in numbers reaching the tens of thousands, using hydrodynamic drafting to reduce individual energy expenditure in the persistent currents that sweep the plateau. Their schooling behaviour is so precise that individual fish maintain consistent positions within the school, responding to neighbours' movements within milliseconds through lateral line detection.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Atlantic horse mackerel is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.