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Species: Katsuwonus pelamis, Skipjack Tuna

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

D1 XIV-XVI
D1 & 2 close but separate
belly: 4-6 dark stripes

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Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Skipjack Tuna

Elongate, fusiform, no fatty eyelid; jaw teeth slender, conical; top of tongue with 2 ridges; gill rakers 53-63; 2 dorsal fins barely separated; XIV-XVI spines on 1st dorsal; 7-9 finlets after 2nd dorsal and anal fins; short, V shaped bony process between pelvic fins; 1 large + 2 small keels on tail base; tail fin deeply forked; 1 lateral line; well developed corselet of scales on front of body.

Dark purplish blue on back; lower sides and belly silvery, with 4-6 conspicuous wavy stripes or discontinuous lines of dark spots.

Size: attains 120 cm; 34.5 kg.

Habitat: oceanic pelagic.

Depth: 0-596 m.

Circumglobal in seas warmer than about 15°C; New York to Uruguay.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Offshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Near Surface
  • Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
  • Bony fishes
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
  • Pelagic crustacea
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 120
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 596