White Trevally - Pseudocaranx dentex - Approaching the Camera

A White Trevally approaches the camera almost head-on at Cirkewwa Reef, Malta, giving a striking view of its large eyes, head and silvery body.

The White Trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex) has a streamlined but relatively deep body that is strongly compressed from side to side, with a moderately rounded head, prominent eyes and a deeply forked tail. Its upper surface is generally greenish-blue to grey, while the flanks and underside are silvery-white, often with a yellowish stripe along the middle of the body and a darker marking near the upper part of the gill cover. White Trevally are reef-associated fish commonly found around rocky reefs, coastal structures and adjoining open water, where they may occur individually or gather in schools. They feed on a variety of small fishes, crustaceans and other marine invertebrates. The species occurs in the Mediterranean and other warm-temperate and subtropical seas, is commonly encountered at depths of around 10–25 metres and has been recorded to approximately 238 metres. Individuals commonly reach around 40 centimetres, although exceptionally large specimens can exceed one metre. This photograph captures an unusual near head-on view of a White Trevally approaching the camera at Cirkewwa Reef in Malta.