Author: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Diagnosis: body fusiform, elongate and rounded. Gillrakers numerous, 53-63 on first gill arch. 2 dorsal fins separated by a small interspace (not larger than eye), the first with 14-16 spines, the second with 13-16 rays, followed by 7-9 finlets; anal fin with 13-16 rays followed by 7 or 8 finlets; pectoral fins short, 24-28 rays. Inter-pelvic process small and bifid. Body scaleless except for the corselet and lateral line. A strong median keel on each side of caudal peduncle between 2 smaller keels. Bony keels on caudal peduncle vertebrae well developed. Swimbladder absent. Intestine straight, without folds. Dorsal and ventral branches of the cutaneous artery about equally well developed. Right lobe of liver somewhat longer than left and central lobes. Vertebrae 20 + 21 = 41. Vertebral trelliswork moves dorsal aorta ventrally less than in Euthynnus and more than in Thunnus. Colour: back dark purplish-blue, lower sides and belly silvery, with 4-6 very conspicuous longitudinal dark bands. Size: to 108 cm fork length, 35 kg, common to 80 cm.

Habitat: pelagic in the high seas in warm and warm-temperate waters. Schooling and migratory. Food: fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods. Reproduction: spawns all year long in tropical waters, from April to September off the coast of North Africa. Eggs and larvae planktonic.

Distribution: found throughout the southern part of the area except the furthest south-eastern part of the Mediterranean basin. Occasional in the Bay of Biscay. Isolated catches from the British Isles, Danish Straits and coast of Norway. Elsewhere, cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical seas.

Eggs, larvae and young stages. Ehrenbaum, 1924: 30, fig. 7a-7c (larvae) (?) | Padoa, 1956: 499, fig. 336-338 (larvae) (?) | Marchal, 1963b: 223, fig. 12-16 (larvae and post-larvae) | Postel, 1963: 532 | Bini, 1968: 54, 3 fig. | Zhudova, 1969 (transl. Klawe, 1970): 5, fig. 5 (larva).
Otoliths (sagitta). Fitch & Craig, 1964: 204, fig. 6b.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Superclass Gnathostomata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Perciformes
Suborder Scombroidei
Family Scombridae
Genus Katsuwonus
Species Katsuwonus pelamis

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms:

Scomber Pelamis Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., ed. X: 297 ('Habitat in Pelago inter Tropicos').
Scomber pelamides Lacepède, 1801, Hist. nat. Poissons, 3: 14.
Scomber pelamis: Risso, 1810: 167.
Thynnus vagans Lesson, 1826, Hist. Naturelle (Zoologie), in L. I. Duperrey: Voyage autour du monde 'La Coquille' pendant les années 1822, 1823,1824, 1825. Atlas: pl. 32 (the text is from 1830, the atlas from 1826). A. Bertrand, Paris.
Thynnus pelamys Cuvier, 1832, in Cuv. Val., Hist. nat. Poissons, 8: 113, pl. 214.
'Bonito': Couch, 1867, 2: 97, pl. 83.
Thynnus pelamys: Day, 1881:100, pl. 37.
Thynnus pelamis: Moreau, 1881: 419.
Euthynnus pelamis: Smitt, 1893: 95, fig. 27 Nobre, 1935: 253, pl. 36 (fig. 115) Fowler, 1936: 616, fig. 278 Nakamura, 1965: 27.
Katsuwonus pelamys: Le Gall, 1934: fiche no. 286 Dieuzeide et al., 1955: 143, fig. p. 143.
Euthynnus pelamys: Nobre, 1935 (key of identification): 253 Soljan, 1948 (transl. 1963): 150, fig. p. 150 Lozano Rey, 1952: 535, pl. 42 (fig. 1) Le Danois E. & Y., 1963: 167.
Euthynnus (Katsuwonus) pelamis: Fraser-Brunner, 1950: 152, fig. 19 Tortonese, 1958: 330 Bini, 1968: 53-54, col. fig.
Katsuwonus pelamis: Collins, 1954: 27 Dollfus, 1955: 141 Zarov et al., 1961: 37, fig. 15 Postel, 1963: 515-537 Wheeler, 1969: 398, fig. p. 398.
Gymnosarda pelamis: Zei, 1963: 545, tabl. 202.
Euthynnus (Katsuwonus) pelamys: Bini, 1965: 195, fig. 195.


Common names:

bonite à ventre rayé [Fr]
echter bonito [De]
ghzel [Ar]
listado [Es]
listao [Fr]
listão [Pr]
listaoun [Ar]
skipjack tuna [En]
skipjack [En]
tonnetto striato [It]
trup [Hr]

Bini, G. 1965. Catalogue des noms de poissons, mollusques et crustacés d'importance commerciale en Méditerranée. Vito Bianco (FAO), Rome, xv+407 pp., 587 fig.

Bini, G. 1967-1972. Atlante dei pesci delle Coste italiane. Mondo Sommerso, Milano, 9 vol: I, 1967, Leptocardi, Ciclostomi, Selaci, 206 pp., 66 fig. + 64 col. fig. II, 1971, Osteitti (Acipenseriformi, Clupeiformi, Mictofiformi, Anguilliformi), 300 pp., 73 col. fig. III, 1970, Notacantiformi . . . Zeiformi, 229 pp., 34 fig. + 63 col. fig. IV, 1968, Perciformi (Mugiloidei, Percoidei), 163 pp., 34 fig. + 49 col. fig. V, 1968, Perciformi (Percoidei), 175 pp., 22 fig. + 56 col. fig. VI, 1968, Perciformi (Trichiuroidei . . . Blennioidei), 177 pp., 48 fig + 57 col. fig. VII,1969, Perciformi (Ofidioidei . . . Dactilopteroidei), 196 pp., 57 fig. + 59 col. fig. VIII,1968, Pleuronettiformi, Echeniformi, Gobioesociformi, Tetraodontiformi, Lofiformi, 164 pp., 34 + 63 fig. IX, 1972, Introduzione. Parte generale. Aggiornamenti. Indici. 176 p.

Collins, B. L. 1954. Lista de Peixes dos Mares dos Açores. Açoreana, 5 (2): 40 p.

Cuvier, G.; Valenciennes, A. 1828-1849. Histoire naturelle des Poissons, Paris-Strasbourg, 22 vol., 11030 pp., 621 pl. (numb. 1-650).1,1828: xvi+573 pp., pl. I-VIII [author: Cuvier]; 2, 1828: xxi+490 pp., pl. 9-40 [Cuv.: pp. 1-238, pp. 249-262, pp. 387-490; Val.: pp. 238-249, pp. 262-386]; 3 April 1829: xxiii+500 pp., pl. 41-71 [Cuvier]; 4, 1829: xxvi+518 pp., pl. 72-99 [Cuvier]; 5, 1830: xxviii+499 pp., pl. 100-140 [Cuvier]; 6, 1830: xxiv+pp.559 pp., pl. 141-169 [Val.: pp. 1-425, 493-559; Cuv.: 426-491]; 7, 1831: xxix + 531 pp., pl. 170-208 [Cuv.: 1-440; Val.: pp. 441-531]; 8, 1832: xix+509 pp., pl. 209-245 [Cuv.: pp. 1-470; Val.: pp. 471-509]; 9, 1833: xxix+512 pp., pl. 246-279 [Cuv.: pp. 1-198, pp. 330-359, pp. 372-427; Val.: pp. 199-329, pp. 359-371, pp. 429-512]; 10, 1835: xxiv+482 pp., pl. 280-306 [Val.]; 11, 1836: xx+506 pp., pl. 307-343 [Val.]; 12, 1837: xxix+507 pp., pl. 344-368 [Val.]; 13, 1839: xix+505 pp., pl. 369-388 [Val.]; 14, 1840: xxii+464 pp., pl. 389-420 [Val.]; 15, 1840: xxi + 540 pp., pl. 421-455 [Val.]; 16, 1842: xx+472 pp., pl. 456-487 [Val.]; 17, 1844: xxiii+497 pp., pl. 487-519 [Val.]; 18, 1846: xix+505 pp., pl. 520-553 [Val.]; 19, 1847: xix+544 pp., pl. 554-590 [Val.]; 20, 1847: xviii+472 pp., pl. 591-606 [Val.]; 21, 1848: xiv+536 pp., pl. 607-633 [Val.]; 22, 1849: xx+532 pp., pl. 634-650 [Val.].

Day, F. 1880-1884. The Fishes of Great Britain and Ireland. London-Edinburgh, 2 vol., cxii+336 pp., 5 +7 fig., 92 pl. and 388 pp., 87 pl. 1880: 1(1): pp. 1-64, pl. I-XXVII; 1881: 1(2) (3): pp. 65-240, pl. XXVIII-LXVIII; 1882: 1(4): pp. 241-336, pl. LXIX-XCII; 2 (5): pp. 1-96, pl. XCIII-CXVI; 1883: 2 (6): pp. 97-176, pl. CXVII-CXXXII; 2 (7): pp. 177-272, pl. CXXXIII-CXLVIII; 1884: 2 (8): pp. 273-368, pl. CXLIX-CLXXIX.

Dieuzeide, R.; Novella, M. (collab. J. Roland), 1953-1955. Catalogue des Poissons des Côtes algériennes. Bull. Stn Aquic. Pêch. Castiglione, I (n.s.), (4), 1952 [1953]: pp. 1-135, 73 fig. n. num.; II (n.s.), (5), 1953 [1954]: pp. 1-258, 135 fig. n. num.; III (n.s.), (6), 1954 [1955]: pp. 1-384, 202 fig. n. num.

Dollfus, R. Ph. 1955. Première contribution à l'établissement d'un fichier ichthyologique du Maroc atlantique de Tanger à l'embouchure de l'Oued Dra. Trav. Inst. scient. chérif., Zool, (6): 227 pp., 1 map.

Ehrenbaum, E. 1924. Scombriformes. Rep. Dan. oceanogr. Exped. Mediterr., 2 (Biology) (A 11): pp. 1-42, 38 fig.

Fitch, J. E.; Craig, W. 1964. First record for the bigeye Tresher (Alopias superciliosus) and slender Tuna (Allothunnus fallai) from California, with notes on eastern Pacific Scombrid otoliths. Calif. Fish Game, 50 (3): 195-206, 7 fig.

Fowler, H. W. 1936. The Marine Fishes of West Africa, based on the collection of the American Museum Congo Expedition 1909-1915. Bull. am. Mus. nat. Hist., 70 (1), Jan. 21, 1936: pp. vii+1-606, fig. 1-275; (2), Nov. 18, 1936: pp. 607-1493, fig. 276-567.

Fraser-Brunner, A. 1950a. The fishes of the family Scombridae. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., (12), 3 (25): pp. 131-163, 35 fig.

Lacepède, B. 1798-1803. Histoire naturelle des Poissons, 5 vol. in-4, Paris. I: 1798, 8+cxlvii+532 pp., 25 pl., 1 tabl. (inset); II: 1800, Ixiv+632 pp., 20 pl.; III: 1801, 558 pp., 34 pl.; IV: 1802, xliv+728 pp., 16 pl.; V: 1803, xlviii+803 pp., 21 pl.

Le Danois, Ed.; Le Danois, Y. 1963. L'Ordre des Scombres. Mém. Inst. fr. Afr. noire, Dakar, 68 (Mélanges ichthyologiques): pp. 153-192, fig. 1-19.

Le Gall, J. 1934. Germo alalunga, Euthynnus alleteratus, Katsuwonus pelamys, Orcynopsis unicolor, Sarda sarda, Auxis thazard. In: L. Joubin, ed., Faune ichthyol. Atlant. N., Copenhagen: fiches 282-283, fiches 286-289.

Lesson, R. P. 1830. Poissons, 2 (1): 66-238, Atlas [1826], pl. 1-38. In: L. I. Duperrey, Voyage autour du monde sur la Coquille pendant les années 1822, 1823, 1824 et 1825 . . ., Zoologie.

Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae, ed. X, vol. 1, 824 pp. Nantes & Pisces: pp. 230-338. (Reprint, 1956, London.)

Lozano y Rey, L. 1952. Peces fisoclistos, Subserie Toracicos. Mems R. Acad. Cienc. exact. fis. nat. Madr., ser.: Cien. nat., Primate parte, 14: pp. xv+1-378, fig. 1-20, pl. I-XXX; Segunda parte, 14: pp. 379-705, fig. 21-31, pl. XXI-LI.

Marchal, E. 1963b. Description des stades postlarvaires et juvéniles de quatre espèces de Scombridae de l'Atlantique tropico-oriental. Mém. Inst. fr. Afr. noire, Dakar, 68 (Mélanges ichthyologiques): 201-240, 21 fig.

Moreau, E. 1881-1891. Histoire naturelle des poissons de la France, Paris, I, 1881: pp. I-VII+1-480, fig. 1-82; II, 1881: pp. 1-572, fig. 83-145; III, 1881: pp. 1-697, fig. 146-220; Suppl., 1891: pp. 1-144, fig. 221-227.

Nakamura, I. 1965. Relationships of fishes referable to the subfamily Thunnidae on the basis of the axial skeleton. Bull. Misaki mar. biol. Inst., 8: pp. 7-38,16 fig.

Nobre, A. 1935. Fauna marinha de Portugal. 1. Vertebrados (Mamiferos, Reptis e Peixes), Porto.: pp. Ixxxiv+1-21 (Mamiferos); pp. 1-5 (Reptis); pp. 1-574 (Peixes), pl. 1-77, phot. 1-64.

Padoa, E. 1956a. Scombriformes, Carangiformes in Uova, larve e stadi giovanili di Teleostei. Fauna Flora Golfo Napoli, 38: pp. 471-576, fig. 296-433, pl. XXXVI-XXXVII.

Postel, E. 1963a. Exposé synoptique des données biologiques sur la bonite à ventre rayé Katsuwonus pelamis (Linne) 1758 (Atlantique et Mediterranee). Actes Réun. sci. mond. Biol. Thon et esp. voisines. II, Species synopses, FAO, Rome, (15): 515-537, 4 fig.

Risso, A. 1810. Ichthyologie de Nice, ou histoire naturelle des poissons du département des Alpes Maritimes. Paris, xxxvi+388 pp., 11 pl. (Reprint, 1966, Asher, Amsterdam.)

Smitt, F. A. 1893-1895. (ed.) A history of Scandinavian fishes, Stockholm and Paris, Atlas, I, 1893, pl. i-xxvii.

Soljan, T. 1948. Fauna i flora jadrana. 1. Ribe Inst. Oceanogr. Ribarst. Jugoslavia. Zagreb, Hrvatske, 437 pp., 1350 fig.

Tortonese, E. 1958b. Elenco dei Leptocardi, Ciclostomi, Pesci cartilaginei ed ossei del Mare Mediterraneo. Atti Soc. ital. Sci. nat., 97 (4): pp. 309-345.

Wheeler, A. 1969. The Fishes of the British Isles and North-West Europe. Macmillan, London, Melbourne and Toronto: pp. i-xvii+1-163, 5+177 fig., 392 fig. (princ. sp.), 92 n. num. fig., 16 pl., maps.

Zarov, V. L.; Karpetchenko, I. L.; Martinsen, G. V. 1961. [Le thon et les objectifs de l'industrie thonière]. Inst. Rech. sci. pêches mar. océano.URSS(VNIRO), Moscou, 43 fig., 4 pl. (in russian).

Zei, M. 1963. Vertebrata (Cyclostomata, Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes): 496-565, pl. 176-215, in R. Riedl, Fauna und Flora der Adria, Hamburg.

Zhudova, A. M. 1969. (transl. Klawe, 1970). [Larvae of Scombroid fishes (Scombroidei, Perciformes) of the central portion of the Atlantic Ocean]. Trudy Atlant NlRO, 25: pp. 100-108. (Inter-amer. trop. tuna comm., La Jolla, 1970:v17 pp., 6 fig.)

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