 The species was first described by the naturalist Peter Forsskål in 1775 based on the holotype specimen taken from the waters of the Red Sea.He named the species "Scomber fulvoguttatus" relating the species to the true mackerels as during this period the family Carangidae had yet to be established.The species was later transferred to "Caranx" and then to "Carangoides", where it has remained.