Main Ref. | Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen, 1983 |
Appearance refers to | |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | |
Different appearance | |
Different colors | |
Remarks |
Striking features | none |
Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
Cross section | oval |
Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
Type of eyes | more or less normal |
Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
Position of mouth | terminal |
Diagnosis |
A very large species, deepest near the middle of the first dorsal fin base. The second dorsal fin higher than the first; the pectoral fins are very short, less than 80% of head length. Swim bladder present. Lower sides and belly silvery white with colorless transverse lines alternated with rows of colorless dots. The first dorsal fin is yellow or bluish; the second reddish-brown; the anal fin and finlets dusky yellow and edged with black; the median caudal keel is black in adults. May be confused with several other tunas, these are typically much smaller and easily distinguished by specific patterns of stripes, bands or dots. |
Ease of Identification |
Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
Scales on lateral line | |
Pored lateral line scales | |
Scales in lateral series | |
Scale rows above lateral line | |
Scale rows below lateral line | |
Scales around caudal peduncle | |
Barbels | 0 |
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
Gill rakers | |
on lower limb | |
on upper limb | |
total | 34 - 43 |
Vertebrae | |
preanal | 18 - 18 |
total | 39 - 39 |
Attributes | no striking attributes |
Fins number | 2 |
Finlets No. | Dorsal 8 - 10 |
Ventral 7 - 9 | |
Spines total | 12 - 14 |
Soft-rays total | 13 - 15 |
Adipose fin | absent |
Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
Fins number | 1 |
Spines total | 0 - 0 |
Soft-rays total | 13 - 16 |
Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
Spines | |
Soft-rays | |
Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
Spines | |
Soft-rays |