Blue Fin Tuna

	Scientific Name	Thunnus thynnus
	Other Names	Atlantic bluefin tuna
	World Record	N/A

Description

The bluefin body is a metallic deep blue above and the lower sides and belly are silvery white. In fresh bluefin specimens, alternating colorless lines and rows of dots can be seen along the lower sides. The first dorsal fin of the bluefin is yellow or blue, the second is red or brown. The anal fin and finlets are yellow, edged with black. The central caudal keel is black. The bluefin tuna is one of the largest of the tunas. The body is deepest near the insertion of the pelvic fins, and tapers significantly to the caudal peduncle. Compared to other tunas, the bluefin head is long and somewhat pointed, and the eye is small. Two dorsal fins are present, with a small space separating them

Habitat

This bluefin tuna is epipelagic and oceanic, coming near shore seasonally. It can tolerate a considerable range of temperatures and has been observed both above and below the thermocline, down to depths of greater than 3000 feet. Bluefin tuna exhibit strong schooling behavior while they are young. While schooling is believed to be sight oriented, schools have been observed at night. Therefore, other senses (particularly the lateral line) appear to be involved in this behavior. Schools of bluefin seasonally migrate northward during the summer months along the coast of Japan and and the Pacific coast of North America. Tagged adult fish have made trans-Pacific migrations: some eastward, and some westward. Other tagging studies have shown that a bluefin can cross the Atlantic in less than 60 days. They can swim at speeds up to 45 mph.

Feeding Habit

Bluefin exhibit different feeding strategies, dependent upon their targeted prey. A quick, energetic pursuit is used in obtaining smaller schooling fishes, particularly anchovies. Bluefin feeding near shore have been recorded to eat starfish, kelp, and smaller shallow water fish. Bluefin are less likely to feed during the spawning season, when the majority of their activity must be dedicated to spawning activities. Their major competitors for food are marine mammals and other large fish, notably other billfish.

Age and Growth

In the Atlantic, spawning has been detected in only two areas: the Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico. In the Pacific, spawning occurs off the Philippines. This is a limited spawning area compared to other tropical tunas. Little is known about the spawning of bluefin, as it has not been observed. It suggested that bluefin become sexually mature at an age 4 to 5 years. Average females produce up to 10 million eggs per year. Their eggs are buoyant, and are distributed a considerable distance by the surface currents. The larvae hatch at a size of 3.0mm. They have large heads and large jaws, and lack body pigmentation. Larvae of Thunnus species are very difficult to distinguish from one another, however bluefin are the only Thunnus species to have dorsal tail pigment.

Related Species

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	Atlantic Bonito		Tuna Longtail
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