| Katsuwonus pelamis
(Linnaeus,
1758) |
| Family: |
Scombridae
(Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) |
picture (Kapel_m0.jpg)
by Freitas, R.
|
| Order: |
Perciformes
(perch-likes) |
| Class: |
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) |
| FishBase name: |
Skipjack tuna |
| Max. size: |
108 cm FL (male/unsexed; Ref. 168); max.
published weight: 34.5 kg (Ref. 168); max. reported age: 12 years |
| Environment: |
pelagic; oceanodromous; marine ; depth range 0 -
260 m |
| Climate: |
tropical; 15 - 30°C; 58°N - 47°S |
| Global Importance: |
fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes |
| Resilience: |
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 -
4.4 years (K=0.3-0.5; tm=2-3; tmax=12; Fec=80,000) |
| Distribution: |
Cosmopolitan in tropical and warm-temperate
waters. Not found in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Ref. 28950) and the
Black Sea. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the
Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal
spines
(total): 14-16; Dorsal
soft
rays (total): 14-15; Anal
spines:
0-0; Anal
soft
rays: 14-15; Vertebrae:
41-41. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Body scaleless except for the
corselet and the lateral line. Swimbladder absent. The back is dark
purplish blue, lower sides and belly silvery, with 4 to six very
conspicuous longitudinal dark bands which in live specimens may appear as
continuous lines of dark blotches. |
| Biology: |
Found in offshore waters; larvae restricted to
waters with surface temperatures of 15°C to 30°C (Ref. 6390). Exhibit a
strong tendency to school in surface waters with birds, drifting objects,
sharks, whales and may show a characteristic behavior like jumping,
feeding, foaming, etc. Feed on fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods and
mollusks; cannibalism is common. Preyed upon by large pelagic fishes (Ref.
6885). Also taken by trolling on light tackle using plugs, spoons,
feathers, or strip bait (Ref. 9684). Marketed fresh, frozen or canned
(Ref. 9340); also dried-salted and smoked (Ref. 9987). Spawns throughout
the year in the tropics, eggs released in several portions (Ref. 35388)
|
| Threatened: |
Not in IUCN Red List , (Ref. 36508) |
| Dangerous: |
reports of ciguatera poisoning , Halstead,
B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990 |
| Coordinator: |
Collette,
Bruce B. |
| Main Ref: |
Collette,
B.B. and C.E. Nauen. 1983. (Ref. 168) |
|
Update | Add
|
|
