Katsuwonus pelamis, Skipjack tuna : fisheries, gamefish

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Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Skipjack tuna
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Katsuwonus pelamis   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Katsuwonus pelamis (Skipjack tuna)
Katsuwonus pelamis
Male Picture by Freitas, R.

Cuba country information

Common names: Atún, Bonito listado, Merma
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: abundant (always seen in some numbers) | Ref: Claro, R., 1994
Importance: commercial | Ref: Claro, R., 1994
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Catches greater than 500 tons/year. Also Ref. 168, 1322, 5780, 11996, 26340.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Claro, R. and L.R. Parenti, 2001
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Listao, Listado, Тунец полосатый (=скипджек), ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Scombriformes (Mackerels) > Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) > Scombrinae
More on author: Linnaeus.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 260 m (Ref. 9340), usually 0 - ? m (Ref. 55287). Tropical; 15°C - 30°C (Ref. 168); 63°N - 47°S, 180°W - 180°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Cosmopolitan in tropical and warm-temperate waters. Not found in the Black Sea. Highly migratory species,

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 41.3, range 40 - 45 cm
Max length : 110 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 89423); common length : 80.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 168); max. published weight: 34.5 kg (Ref. 168); max. reported age: 12 years (Ref. 168)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 14 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 14 - 15; Vertebrae: 41. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body fusiform, elongate and rounded; teeth small and conical, in a single series; gill rakers on first gill arch numerous, 53-63; D1 XIV-XVI, dorsal fins separated by a small interspace (not larger than eye), the second followed by 7-9 finlets; anal fin followed by 7-8 finlets; pectoral fins short, with 26-27 rays; 2 flaps (interpelvic process) between pelvic fins; body scaleless except for corselet and lateral line; a strong keel on each side of caudal-fin base between 2 smaller keels. Colour of back dark purplish blue, lower sides and belly silvery, with 4-6 very conspicuous longitudinal dark bands which in live specimens may appear as discontinuous lines of dark blotches (Ref. 9684).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Found in offshore waters; larvae restricted to waters with surface temperatures of 15°C to 30°C (Ref. 6390). Exhibit a strong tendency to school in surface waters with birds, drifting objects, sharks, whales and may show a characteristic behavior like jumping, feeding, foaming, etc. Feed on fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods and mollusks; cannibalism is common. Spawn throughout the year in the tropics, eggs released in several portions (Ref. 35388). Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6769). Preyed upon by large pelagic fishes (Ref. 6885). Also taken by trolling on light tackle using plugs, spoons, feathers, or strip bait (Ref. 9684). Marketed fresh, frozen or canned (Ref. 9340, 9684 ); also dried-salted and smoked (Ref. 9987).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

In tropical waters, reproductively active female skipjack tuna spawn almost daily.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B. | Collaborators

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. (Ref. 168)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 15 January 2021

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 4690)





Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO - Fisheries: landings, species profile; Publication: search | FIRMS - Stock assessments | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Home ranges
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Distribution
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Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos
Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Genetics
Genome
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
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Common names
Synonyms
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References
References

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Fisheries: landings, species profile; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | National databases | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | RFE Identification | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 13.3 - 29, mean 26.2 °C (based on 8934 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 1.0000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01072 (0.00958 - 0.01198), b=3.10 (3.07 - 3.13), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.4   ±0.5 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 2.1 (1.8 - 2.4) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 57 growth studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.3-0.5; tm=2-3; tmax=12; Fec=61,516).
Prior r = 0.52, 95% CL = 0.35 - 0.79, Based on 9 full stock assessments.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100). 🛈
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649):  Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100). 🛈
Price category (Ref. 80766):   High.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 155 [39, 307] mg/100g; Iron = 2.27 [0.81, 7.03] mg/100g; Protein = 22.3 [20.8, 23.6] %; Omega3 = 0.45 [0.22, 1.05] g/100g; Selenium = 87.4 [31.2, 237.6] μg/100g; VitaminA = 6.64 [1.25, 40.76] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.54 [0.37, 3.23] mg/100g (wet weight); based on nutrient studies.