hardtail the common English name for Megalaspis cordyla, a fish of Indo-Pacific waters. Like many other members of its family (Carangidae) it has a streamlined body, adapted to swift swimming; and the resemblance to the shape of a torpedo is so marked that the name ‘torpedo trevally’ is sometimes used. The tail is thin and stiff.
This is not a very large fish (maximum length 40 cm/16"), nor an outstandingly good one. But it is widely available in SE Asian markets and makes palatable fare when fried, steamed, poached, or grilled.
