 All studies confirmed its placement in the subfamily "Caranginae", a monophyletic grouping including the trevallies, jacks, scads and horse mackerels.The first of these studies by Soko Gushiken was based on morphological characteristics and found the species was part of a monophyletic clade of the scads and horse mackerels with "Atule", "Selar", "Trachurus" and "Decapterus", being most closely related to "Atule".A 1987 analysis of genetic divergence amongst the scads and horse mackerels using isozyme electrophoresis indicated the species was most closely related to "Selar", forming a monophyletic clade with "Trachurus", but being more distant from "Decapterus".