Euthynnus alletteratus
Little Tunny
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Scombridae (Mackerels)
Euthynnus
Euthynnus alletteratus (Little Tunny)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Two longitudinal ridges on tongue, closely spaced dorsal fins, and a naked body except for corselet of scales. Snout is longer than eye diameter. Maxilla extends below eye. Jaw teeth are small, conical, little compressed, and arranged in a single series. Palatine has teeth, but vomer lacks teeth. Gill rakers on first arch number 37 to 45, and gill teeth number 31 or 32. Pectoral fin is moderately short and has 25 to 29 rays. First dorsal fin originates above pectoral fin base, is elevated anteriorly and very short posteriorly, and has 13 to 17 spines. Second dorsal fin is connected to first dorsal fin at base, has 11 to 13 rays, and is followed by 8 to 10 finlets. Interpelvic process is bilobed and shorter than pelvic fin. Anal fin is similar in shape and size to second dorsal fin, is located behind base of second dorsal fin, has 11 to 15 rays, and is followed by 6 to 8 finlets. Caudal peduncle has a well-developed lateral keel between short diagonal keels. Caudal fin is semilunate and rather short and deep. Corselet extends behind head to insertion of dorsal fin, along lateral line to near insertion of first dorsal fin, posterolaterally from gill opening to slightly beyond tip of pectoral fin, and posteriorly from isthmus to end of pelvic fin base. Lateral line is single and slightly wavy. Gas bladder is absent. Vertebrae number 39: 20 precaudal and 19 caudal.
Color is dark blue dorsally and white ventrally, with oblique to nearly horizontal dark, wavy stripes or bars above lateral line extension of corselet, and four or five dark spots below pectoral fin.
Distribution
In the western Atlantic it occurs from Prince Edward Island and Bermuda to northern Brazil, including the entire Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat Associations
Tropical and warm temperate Atlantic Ocean in neritic and oceanic waters. Epipelagic in neritic waters.
Forms schools.
Biology
Food consists of crustaceans, squids, tunicates, and small ray-finned fishes, such as clupeids and engraulids.
Maximum known size is 100 cm FL.
Found in neritic waters close inshore (Ref. 13628). This schooling species is an opportunistic predator which feeds on virtually everything within its range, i.e. crustaceans, fishes (mainly clupeoid), squids, heteropods and tunicates. Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6769). Specialized traps (madragues) are used in Tunisia and Morocco. Diving bird flocks may indicate large schools (Ref. 9710). Utilized fresh, dried-salted, smoked, canned and frozen (Ref. 9987). A popular game fish (Ref. 9710).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Eggs are shed in several batches when the water is warmest.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2022-03-01. Resilience: Medium (K=0.13-0.22; tm=2; tmax=8; Fec=71,000).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
de Sylva and Rathjen 1961
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Collette 1986b
Collette 2002g
Collette and Nauen 1983
Fujii 1983g
Robins and Ray 1986
Scott and Scott 1988
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen (1983) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 2. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of tunas, mackerels, bonitos and related species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(2):137 p.
Cervigón, F. (1994) Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 3. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 295 p.
Claro, R. (1994) Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo.
Diouf, T. (1980) Pêche et biologie de trois Scombridae exploités au Sénégal: Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda et Scomberomorus tritor. These de Doctorat 3ème cycle, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, France. 159 p.
Figueiredo, J.L. and N.A. Menezes (2000) Manual de peixes marinhos do sudeste do Brasil. VI.Teleostei (5). Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo. Brazil. 116 p.
Bowman, R.E., C.E. Stillwell, W.L. Michaels and M.D. Grosslein (2000) Food of northwest Atlantic fishes and two common species of squid. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE 155, 138 p.
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