White Trevally - Pseudocaranx dentex - Pair Swimming above Cirkewwa Reef

Two White Trevally swim side by side above Cirkewwa Reef in Malta, their silvery bodies and deeply forked tails standing out against the blue water.

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 eye and 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 running along the middle of the body and a darker marking near the upper part of the gill cover. White Trevally are reef-associated fish that may occur individually or form schools around rocky reefs, coastal structures and adjoining open water. They feed on small fishes, crustaceans and other marine invertebrates. The species occurs throughout the Mediterranean as well as other warm-temperate and subtropical waters, is commonly encountered at depths of around 10–25 metres and has been recorded to approximately 238 metres. Individuals commonly reach about 40 centimetres in length, although exceptionally large specimens can reach more than one metre. This photograph shows two White Trevally swimming closely together above Cirkewwa Reef in Malta.