Thunnus atlanticus
Blackfin Tuna
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Scombridae (Mackerels)
Thunnus
Thunnus atlanticus (Blackfin Tuna)
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
Narrowly separated dorsal fins, moderately long pectoral fins, poorly developed corselet of scales on anterior section of body. Body profile is subelliptical, with maximum girth near first dorsal fin origin. Snout is acute and conical. Jaw teeth are small, conical, and uniserial. Teeth are present or absent in palatine and vomer. Gill rakers on first arch number 19 to 28 (usually fewer than 27). Pectoral fin is falcate, extends almost to anal fin origin, and has 30 to 36 rays. First dorsal fin is high anteriorly and has a concave margin and 13 to 14 spines. Second dorsal fin is sickle shaped, has 12 to 16 rays, and is followed by 7 to 10 finlets. Interpelvic process is small and bifid. Anal fin is similar to second dorsal fin in size and shape, has 11 to 16 rays, and is followed by 7 to 10 finlets. Caudal peduncle bears long midlateral keel between two shorter oblique keels. Body is covered with small scales, and a corselet of large scales extends over nape, anterior section of lateral line, and thorax region. Vertebrae number 39: 19 precaudal and 20 caudal. Gas bladder is small. Liver in ventral view lacks striations, and right lobe is largest.
Color is metallic dark blue dorsally; silvery gray on sides, often with pale streaks and spots partially vertically oriented; and milky white ventrally. Finlets are dusky with some yellow pigment.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Martha's Vineyard and Bermuda to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, including the entire Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat Associations
Epipelagic oceanic species
Forms mixed schools with Katsuwonus pelamis of the same size
Biology
Food consists of squids, stomatopod and decapod crustacean larvae, amphipods, shrimps, crabs, and ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size is 100 cm FL. Maximum known age is five years.
Found in oceanic waters, sometimes not far from the coast (Ref. 13628). Forms large mixed schools with the skipjack tuna. Its spawning grounds are located well offshore. Preys on surface and deep-sea fishes, squids, amphipods, shrimps, crabs and stomatopods and decapod larvae. The largest fishery for blackfin tuna operates off the southeastern coast of Cuba and uses live-bait and pole. Utilized fresh, dried or salted, canned and frozen (Ref. 9987).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021-07-01. Resilience: Medium (K=0.22; tm=3; tmax=5).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
de Sylva 1955
Idyll and de Sylva 1963
Beardsley and Simmons 1971
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Collette and Nauen 1983
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Collette 2002g
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.
Sierra, L.M., R. Claro and O.A. Popova (1994) Alimentacion y relaciones tróficas. p. 263-284. In Rodolfo Claro (ed.) Ecología de los Peces Marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo, Mexico.
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.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
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