{{Short description|Species of ray-finned fish}} {{for|the fish family known as leatherjackets|filefish}} {{Speciesbox | image = Oligoplites saurus.jpeg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Smith-Vaniz, W.F. |author2=Williams, J.T. |author3=Pina Amargos, F. |author4=Curtis, M. |author5=Brown, J. |author6=Vega-Cendejas, M. |date=2019 |title=''Oligoplites saurus'' |volume=2019 |article-number=e.T183364A86338645 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T183364A86338645.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> | taxon = Oligoplites saurus | authority = (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) | synonyms = {{hidden begin|title = List}} *''Scomber saurus'' <small>Bloch & Schneider, 1801</small> *''Oligoplites inornatus'' <small>Gill, 1863</small> *''Oligoplites saurus saurus'' <small>(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)</small> *''Oligoplites saurus inornatus'' <small>Gill, 1863</small> {{hidden end}} | synonyms_ref = <ref name = Fishbase>{{Fishbase|Oligoplites|saurus|month=August|year=2019}}</ref><ref name = CofF>{{Cof genus|genus=Oligoplites|access-date=19 November 2019}}</ref> }}

The '''leatherjacket fish''' ('''''Oligoplites saurus'''''), also known as '''leather jack''', is a species of jack in the family Carangidae.<ref>{{ITIS |id=168673 |taxon=Oligoplites saurus |accessdate=24 January 2006}}</ref> Leather jack may also refer to other members of the Carangidae, such as the pilot fish. The largest are about a foot long.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=https://gmri.org/|access-date=2021-05-23|website=Gulf Of Maine Research Institute|language=en}}</ref>

==Distribution== There are two subspecies of ''Oligoplites saurus''. The nominate subspecies ''O.s. saurus'' distributed in the western Atlantic Ocean from Chatham, Massachusetts south along the U.S. coast, throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and along the South American coast to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The other subspecies ''O. s. inornatus'' is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from southern Baja California, much of the Gulf of California to Ecuador, including the Galapagos and Malpelo Islands.<ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021" />

==Feeding== It voraciously devours small fish and shrimp, often in company with larger predatory species. Leatherjackets feed on small fish including the silver perch.

==As food== Traditionally, the leather jacket has not been eaten, but recently, with large-scale farming of the fish, it has become common at market{{where?|date=November 2017}}. The fish has a mild, oily taste similar to Spanish mackerel or bluefish. <!-- They can be dusted and grilled with some old bay or emeril seasoning.-->

It has occasionally been the prey to blue swimmer crab, as juvenile fish in sea grass beds.

==References== <references/>

==External links== * [http://www.gma.org/fogm/Oligoplites_saurus.htm Fish and Wildlife Service] * [http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Oligop_saurus.htm Smithsonian Marine Station] * [http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=1001 FishBase]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2948084}}

leatherjacket fish Category:Fish of the Western Atlantic Category:Fish of Mexican Pacific coast Category:Western Central American coastal fauna leatherjacket fish Category:Taxa named by Marcus Elieser Bloch Category:Taxa named by Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider