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Thunnus thynnus

(Atlantic Bluefin Tuna)

Overview

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Family : Mackerels , tunas , bonitos ; Oceanic but seasonally coming close to shore and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures . They school by size, sometimes together with albacore, yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack etc. Prey on small schooling fishes (anchovies , sauries , hakes) or on squids and red crabs. Commercially cultured in Japan. Utilized fresh for sashimi , also canned[1]. Become rare because of massive overfishing [2].

Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Afrikaans:

Blouvin-Tuna

Common Names in Albanian:

Toni

Common Names in Arabic:

T´oûn Ah´mar, T'oûn Ah'mar, Toun Ahmar, Tunna

Common Names in Bulgarian:

Ton

Common Names in Catalan:

Bocadolça, Golfàs, Golfàs, Tonyina

Common Names in Creole, French:

Ton France

Common Names in Croatian:

Tun, Tuna, Tunj

Common Names in Danish:

Almindelig Tun, Atlantisk Tun, Blåfinnet Tun, Blåfinnet Tunfisk, Tun, Tunfisk

Common Names in Dutch:

Tonijn

Common Names in English:

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Blue Fin Tuna, Blue-Fin Tunny, Bluefin Tuna, Bluefin Tunny, Horse Mackerel, Northern Bluefin Tuna, Southern Bluefin Tuna, Squid Hound, Tuna

Common Names in Faroese:

Tunfiskur

Common Names in Finnish:

Tonnikala

Common Names in French:

Thon Rouge, Thon Rouge De L'atlantique, Thon Rouge Du Nord, Thone

Common Names in Gaelic, Iris:

An Tuinnín

Common Names in German:

Atlantischer Thunfisch, Großer Thun, Roter Thun, Thunfisch

Common Names in Greek:

Όρκυνος, Γλουπέας, Γοφός, Γόφος, Κόπανος, Μαγιάτικο, Ορτσίνι, Τόνος, Tónnos, Tonos Makrofteros

Common Names in Hebrew:

Tunna Kehula

Common Names in Icelandic:

Túnfiskur

Common Names in Italian:

Barilaro, Fiocchi Di Tonno, Franzillottu, Musciame De Tonno, Scampiru, Ton, Tonne, Tonno, Tonno Rosso, Tunina, Tunnacchiolu, Tunnacchiu, Tunnachiello, Tunnu, Tunnu Da Castagnara

Common Names in Japanese:

Kuromaguro

Common Names in Maltese:

Tonn, Tonnu, Tunnagg

Common Names in Mandarin Chinese:

金槍魚, 鮪, 黑暗串, 黑鮪, Cá Chan, Thu

Common Names in Marshallese:

Boebo

Common Names in Norwegian:

Makrellshørje, Makrellstørje, Sjorje, Thunfisk, Tunfisk

Common Names in Polish:

Ton, Tunczyk Blekitnopletwy

Common Names in Portuguese:

Albacora, Albacora-Azul, Alvacor, Atuarro, Atum, Atum Rabil, Atum-Azul, Atum-De-Direito, Atum-De-Revés, Atum-Rabil, Atum-Rabilho, Atum-Verdadeiro, Bocadós De Atum, Mochama, Rabão, Rabil, Rabilha, Rabilho, Rabilo

Common Names in Rumanian:

Ton, Ton rosu, Ton, Ton Rosu

Common Names in Russian:

Krasnyj Tunets, Obyknovennyi Tunets, Sineperyj Tunets, Sinij Tunets, Siniy, Solsheglazyj Tunets, Vostochnyj Tunets, Zoludoj Tunets

Common Names in Serbian:

Tun, Tuna

Common Names in Spanish:

Aleta Azul, Atún, Atún Alata Azul, Atún Aleta Azul, Atún Cimarrón, Atún De Aleta Azul, Atún Rojo, Atún Rojo Del Atlántico, Migas De Tunidos, Mojama

Common Names in Swedish:

Makrillstörje, Röd Tonfisk, Tonfisk

Common Names in Tahitian:

Auhopu

Common Names in Turkish:

Orkinos, Orkinoz Baligi, Ton Baligi

Common Names in Wolof:

Waxandor

Description

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Family Scombridae

Distribution: tropical and subtropical seas . Body elongate and fusiform , moderately compressed in some genera. Snout pointed , premaxilla beaklike, free from nasal bones which are separated by the ethmoid bone; mouth large; teeth in jaws strong , moderate, or weak; no true canines; palate and tongue may bear teeth. The 2 dorsal fins separate and depressible into grooves with 5-12 finlets behind second dorsal and anal fins; first dorsal fin with 9-27 rays , origin well behind the head . Pectoral fins high on body. Pelvic fins moderate or small with 6 fin rays , placed below the pectoral fins. Caudal fin deeply forked with supporting caudal rays completely covering hypural plate. At least 2 small keels on each side of caudal fin base , a larger keel in between on caudal peduncle in more advanced species. Lateral line simple . Vertebrae 31-66. Body covered with small to moderate scales or a scaly corselet developed (area behind head and around pectoral fins covered with large thick scales) and rest of body naked or covered with tiny scales. Gill membranes not united to isthmus. Thunnus and close relatives with a specialized vascular system for heat exchange; the evolution of this and related adaptations for endothermy are discussed in Brock et al. 1993, Science 260:210-214. Primarily swift, epipelagic predators ; some species occur in coastal waters , others far from shore . Mackerels (Scomber and Rastrelliger) filter plankton with their long gill rakers. Spanish mackerels, bonitos and tunas feed on larger prey , including small fishes , crustaceans and squids . The main predators of smaller scombrids are other predacious fishes, particularly large tunas and billfises. Dioecious and most display little or no sexual dimorphism in structure or color pattern . Females of many species attain larger sizes than maels. Batch spawning of most species takes place in tropical and subtropical waters, frequently inshore . Eggs are pelagic and hatch into planktonic larvae. Among the most important of commercial and sport fishes. Thunninae=ISSCAAP 36; Scombrinae=ISSCAAP 37. Also Ref. 50681.The family Scombridae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Perciformes. It contains 15 genera and 51 species. It may be found in Marine and Brackish environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is thunniform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be very active . Members of this family have been dated back to the lower Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name : Latin, scomber = mackerel . 1841

Physical Description

Species Thunnus thynnus

The bluefin tuna is one of the largest of the tunas . The body is deepest near the insertion of the pelvic fins, and tapers significantly to the caudal peduncle. Compared to other tunas, the head is long and somewhat pointed , and the eye is small. Two dorsal fins are present, with a small space separating them. The second dorsal fin is taller than the first, and is followed by 7 to 10 finlets . The anal fin begins well behind the insertion of the second dorsal fin. The pectoral fins are short compared to other members of the genus Thunnus, although the relative length changes with age. The pectoral fins never reach as far back as the space between the dorsal fins. Three keels are present on the caudal peduncle.

Color:

The body is a metallic deep blue above and the lower sides and belly are silvery white. In fresh specimens, alternating colorless lines and rows of dots can be seen along the lower sides. The first dorsal fin is yellow or blue, the second is red or brown. The anal fin and finlets are yellow, edged with black. The central caudal keel is black.

Size/Age/Growth

The maximum length reported is 180 inches (458.0 cm) total length and the maximum weight reported is 1,506 lbs . (684 kg ). Bluefin commonly attain a size of 78 inches (200 cm). The International Game Fish Association (IGFA ) all-tackle record is 1496 lb. (679 kg). This tuna has a life span of approximately 15 years.

Habitat

This tuna is epipelagic and oceanic , coming near shore seasonally. It can tolerate a considerable range of temperatures and has been observed both above and below the thermocline, down to depths of greater than 3000 feet (9,850 m ).

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 818 meters (0 to 2,684 feet).[3]

Biome: Brackish water, saltwater . Pelagic .

Biology

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Diet

Bluefin exhibit different feeding strategies, dependent upon their targeted prey . A quick, energetic pursuit is used in obtaining smaller schooling fishes , particularly anchovies , while "modified filter feeding" is used to catch small, slow moving organisms . Bluefin feeding near shore have been recorded to eat starfish , kelp, and smaller shallow water fishes. Bluefin are less likely to feed during the spawning season , when the majority of their activity must be dedicated to spawning activities. Their major competitors for food are marine mammals and other large fish, notably other scombrids and billfishes .

Reproduction

Bluefin tuna are oviparous . In the Atlantic, spawning has been detected in only two areas: the Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico. In the Pacific, spawning occurs off the Philippines. This is a limited spawning area compared to other tropical tunas . Little is known about the spawning of bluefin, as it has not been observed. Spawning in the Gulf of Mexico occurs from April to June and Mediterranean spawning occurs from June to August. Differences in timing could be due to any of a number of factors , such as differing environmental cues or genetic variation . In the Gulf of Mexico, spawning occurs at temperatures of 76.8 to 85.1 °F(24.9 to 29.5 °C) while in the Mediterranean it occurs at 66 to 70 °F (19-21 °C).

In captivity, bluefin tuna have reached sexual maturity at 3 years, however others have suggested that bluefin become sexually mature at an age 4 to 5 years. Average females produce up to 10 million eggs per year. Their eggs are buoyant , and are distributed a considerable distance by the surface currents . The larvae hatch at a size of 3.0mm. They have large heads and large jaws , and lack body pigmentation . Larvae of Thunnus species are very difficult to distinguish from one another, however bluefin are the only Thunnus species to have dorsal tail pigment. (image from NMFS-SEFC-240) The larvae grow at 1 mm per day. In spawning areas, larval abundance ranges from 0.1 to 1.0 per square yard . The young, up to a size of 90 to 130 lbs . (40 to 80 kg ), will separate into schools based upon size. These schools often consist of multiple species, possibly containing albacore, yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack, frigate tuna, bonito, and yellowtail.

Behavior

Bluefin tuna exhibit strong schooling behavior while they are young. While schooling is believed to be sight oriented, schools have been observed at night. Therefore, other senses (particularly the lateral line) appear to be involved in this behavior. Schools of bluefin seasonally migrate northward during the summer months along the coast of Japan and and the Pacific coast of North America. Tagged adult fish have made trans-Pacific migrations: some eastward, and some westward. Other tagging studies have shown that a bluefin can cross the Atlantic in less than 60 days. They can swim at speeds up to 45 mph (72.5 kph).

Predators:

Marine mammals, including killer whales and pilot whales, feed on the bluefin tuna . Other predators include sharks , other large predatory fishes , and seabirds.

Parasites:

The bluefin tuna is a host to 72 known parasites out of which 9 are host-specific . Copepods are among the parasites of this tuna including Caligus bonito and C. productus are found on the surface of the body and the wall of the branchial cavities. Euryphorus brachypterus is found on the wall of the branchial cavities and Brachiella thynni is parasitic on the fins . Other parasitic copepods include Pennella filosa which inserts itself into the flesh of the fish and Pseudocycnus appendiculatus found on the gill filaments.

Other parasites associated with this tuna include protozoans , digenea (flukes ), didymozoidea (tissue flukes), monogenean (gillworms), cestoda (tapeworms ), nematoda (roundworms), acanthocephala (spiny-headed worms), and copepods. The cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis), largetooth cookiecutter shark (Isistius plutodus), and pilotfish (Naucrates ductor) are fish considered to be parasites of the bluefin tuna.

Taxonomy

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Ambiguous Synonyms

  1. Thunnus thynnus coretta (Non Cuvier, 1829)
  2. Thunnus thynnus saliens (Non Jordan and Evermann, 1926)

Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. Albacora thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  2. Orcynus secondidorsalis (Storer, 1855)
  3. Orcynus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  4. Scomber thynnus Linnaeus, 1758
  5. Thunnus secundodorsalis (Storer, 1855)
  6. Thunnus thynnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  7. Thunnus thynus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  8. Thunnus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1832)
  9. Thynnus linnei Malm, 1877
  10. Thynnus mediterraneus Risso, 1827
  11. Thynnus secundodorsalis Storer, 1855
  12. Thynnus vulgaris Cuvier, 1832

Misapplied Names

  1. Thunnus thynnus coretta (non Cuvier, 1829)
  2. Thunnus thynnus saliens (non Jordan & Evermann, 1926)

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Group expert : Collette B .B., Data last modified by FishBase 01-Nov-2000

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Thunnus

There are approximately 49 species in this genus:

T. alalunga · T. alalunga · T. albacares · T. alalonga · T. alalunga (Longfinned Albacore) · T. alb · T. albacares (Pacific Long-Tailed Tuna) · T. albacares macropterus · T. albacaris · T. albacora · T. albacores · T. albalonga · T. albecares · T. allisoni · T. argentivittatus · T. atlanticus (Deep-Bodied Tunny) · T. bacares · T. balteatus · T. atlanticus · T. germo · T. maccoyi · T. maccoyii (Southern Bluefin Tuna) · T. macropterus · T. mebachi · T. nicolsoni · T. obesus (Bigeye Tuna Fish) · T. obesus mebachi · T. obesus sibi · T. orientalis (North Pacific Bluefin Tuna) · T. pacificus · T. phillipsi · T. rarus · T. saliens · T. secundodorsalis · T. sibi · T. tanggul · T. thunnina · T. thunnus (Two Spotted Barb) · T. thunnus thynnus · T. thynnus (Atlantic Bluefin Tuna) · T. thynnus coretta · T. thynnus maccoyii · T. thynnus orientalis (North Pacific Bluefin Tuna) · T. thynnus saliens · T. thynnus thynnus · T. thynus · T. tonggol (Indian Long-Tailed Tuna) · T. vulgaris · T. zacalles

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 15, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Frimodt, C. (1995). Multilingual illustrated guide to the world's commercial coldwater fish. Fishing News Books, Osney Mead, Oxford, England. 215 p. [back]
  2. Muus, B.J. and J.G. Nielsen (1999). Sea fish. Scandinavian Fishing Year Book, Hedehusene, Denmark. 340 p. [back]
  3. Mean = 1.590 meters (5.217 feet), Standard Deviation = 377.510 based on 139 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 2009-05-11