Sarda sarda
Atlantic Bonito
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
There are no photos available for this taxon yet.
Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Scombridae (Mackerels)
Sarda
Sarda sarda (Atlantic Bonito)
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.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
When citing, please reference the original source rather than this page.
Learn more about our species accounts.
Characters
Close-set dorsal fins; body covered with scales; lacks horizontal ridges on upper surface of tongue; snout considerably longer than eye diameter; maxilla extends below eye; jaw teeth relatively large, conical, and arranged in a single series; palatine has a row of 8 to 21 conical teeth; vomer occasionally has teeth; gill rakers on first arch number 16 to 23; pectoral fin short with 22 to 27 rays; first dorsal fin originates over pectoral fin base, elevated anteriorly with a straight margin, and has 20 to 23 spines; second dorsal fin separated from first by distance equal to eye length, has 13 to 18 rays, and is followed by seven to nine finlets; bilobed process between pelvic fins, shorter than pelvic fin; anal fin similar in shape and size to second dorsal fin, located near insertion of second dorsal fin, has 14 to 17 rays, and is followed by six or seven finlets; caudal peduncle has a well-developed lateral keel between short diagonal keels; caudal fin semilunate and rather short and deep; body completely covered with scales, including corselet of scales extending behind head to about midlength of first dorsal fin and posterolaterally from gill opening to tip of pectoral fin; lateral line single and slightly wavy; gas bladder absent; vertebrae number 50 to 55 (26 to 28 precaudal and 23 to 27 caudal); liver has two long lateral lobes and a short middle lobe.
Blue dorsally and silvery on side and ventrally, with oblique stripes on upper half of body.
Distribution
Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bermuda to northern Argentina, including the entire Gulf of Mexico
Entire Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Epipelagic, coastal waters at temperatures between 12°C and 27°C
Biology
Crustaceans, squids, and small ray-finned fishes, such as clupeids, gadids, and scombrids
914 mm FL
Epipelagic, neritic and schooling species that may enter estuaries. Known to be cannibalistic, adults prey on small schooling fishes, invertebrates like squid and shrimps and can swallow relatively large prey. Eggs and larvae pelagic (Ref. 6769). Utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked, canned and frozen (Ref. 9987). Able to adapt to different temperatures 12° to 27°C and salinities 14 to 39 (Ref. 36731).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021-11-15. Resilience: Medium (K=0.13-0.24; tm=1; tmax=5).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish.
References
Collette and Chao 1975
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Collette 1986b
Collette 2002g
Yoshida 1980
Collette and Nauen 1983
Robins and Ray 1986
Scott and Scott 1988
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 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.
Maigret, J. and B. Ly (1986) Les poissons de mer de Mauritanie. Science Nat., Compiègne. 213 p.
Cervigón, F. (1994) Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 3. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 295 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.
Comments On Sarda sarda