Description: A large tuna. Body fusiform, elongate, and slightly compressed. The body is deepest at a more posterior point than other tunas. Pectoral fins remarkably long, usually a third of the fork length or longer. Two dorsal fins separated by a narrow gap; second one lower than the first. Finlets after second dorsal and anal fin. Body covered in small scales; corselet of larger scales in the pectoral region. Back metallic dark blue, lower sides and belly whitish. A faint iridescent blue band runs along the sides in live fish. First dorsal fin deep yellow, second dorsal and anal fins light yellow. Posterior margin of caudal fin white.
Global Distribution: Cosmopolitan in tropical and temperate waters including the Mediterranean. View Map
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Size: Maximum length 140 cm (fork length); common length 100.0 cm (FL); maximum published weight 60.3 kg.
Behavioural ecology: Forms mixed schools with skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and bluefin tuna (T. thynnus). Schools may be associated with floating objects, including sargassum weeds.
Population structure & migrations: Highly migratory species.
ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Depth range: FishBase: 0 - 600 m.
Habitat: An epipelagic and mesopelagic, oceanic species, abundant in surface waters of 15.6° to 19.4°C; deeper swimming, large albacore are found in waters of 13.5° to 25.2°C. Known to concentrate along thermal discontinuities.
Feeding habits: Feeds on fishes, crustaceans and squids.
Trophic level: FishBase: 4.3
FISHERIES
Commercial interest: Highly valued commercial species. Also gamefish.
Conservation status: Global: Near threatened.
Europe: Least concern.
Nutritional information & food safety:
REFERENCES
Carpenter K.E., ed. (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. FAO, Rome, pp. 1375-2127.
Collette B.B., Nauen C.E. (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. FAO Fisheries Synopses, 125 vol.2, 137 pp.
IUCN (2014). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org
Nieto A., Ralph G.M., Comeros-Raynal M.T., Kemp J., GarcÃa Criado M., Allen D.J., Dulvy N.K., Walls R.H.L., Russell B., Pollard D., GarcÃa S., Craig M., Collette B.B., Pollom R., Biscoito M., Labbish Chao N., Abella A., Afonso P., Ãlvarez H., Carpenter K.E., Clò S., Cook R., Costa M.J., Delgado J., Dureuil M., Ellis J.R., Farrell E.D., Fernandes P., Florin A-B., Fordham S., Fowle, S., Gil de Sola L., Gil Herrera J., Goodpaster A., Harvey M., Heessen H., Herler J., Jung A., Karmovskaya E., Keskin C., Knudsen S.W., Kobyliansky S., KovaÄić M., Lawson J.M., Lorance P., McCully Phillips S., Munroe T., Nedreaas K., Nielsen J., Papaconstantinou C., Polidoro B., Pollock C.M., Rijnsdorp A.D., Sayer C., Scott J., Serena F., Smith-Vaniz W.F., Soldo A., Stump E., Williams J.T. (2015). Europen Red List of Marine Fishes. IUCN and European Union, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 90 pp.
