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Brassy trevally

species of fish

Specimen drawers, botanical folios and brass scientific instruments under study light
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Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionJul 30, 2026
Entity authorityQ2451356
Source-derived summary

The brassy trevally, Caranx papuensis (also known as the brassy kingfish, Papuan trevally, tea-leaf trevally, and green back trevally) is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack family, Carangidae.

Taxonomy and naming

The brassy trevally is classified within the genus Caranx, one of a number of groups known as the jacks or trevallies. Caranx itself is part of the larger jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae, which in turn is part of the order Carangiformes.

The species was first scientifically described by the Australian zoologists Haynes Gibbes Alleyne and William John Macleay in 1877 based on a specimen collected from Hall Sound off Papua New Guinea, which was designated to be the holotype. They named the species Caranx papuensis, with the specific epithet taking its name from Papua New Guinea where the holotype was taken. They referred the species to the genus Caranx, where it has remained. The species was independently redescribed twice; the first by Samuel Garman, who applied the name Caranx regularis and then by J. L. B. Smith with the name Caranx celetus. The species was apparently widely confused with the now dubious Caranx sansun, a move which resulted in Smith trying to resolve the taxon by renaming the species that had been identified as C. sansun, which led to several now defunct junior synonyms.

The species is commonly referred to as the brassy trevally, tea-leaf trevally, or greenback trevally in reference to its colouration, while Papuan trevally is used in reference to the specific epithet.

Description

The brassy trevally is a large species of fish, growing to a known maximum of 88 cm in length and 6.4 kg in weight.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Brassy trevally” as species of fish. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Brassy, trevally and species.

Editorial reviewA practical orientation to terminology and classification, particularly when read beside dated observations, specimens or technical literature. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1877—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Brassy, trevally and species providing the first useful test.
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Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Brassy trevally”, the useful work is to connect “species of fish” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2451356. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1877.

Critical limits

Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

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Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Brassy trevally” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.