Bullet tuna
📖 Overview
Adults are principally caught in coastal waters and around islands . Form schools. Feed on small fishes, particularly anchovies, crustaceans (especially crab and stomatopod larvae) and squids. Eggs and larvae are pelagic . Because of their abundance, they are considered an important element of the food web, particularly as forage for other species of commercial interest. Also caught with encircling nets and troll lines . Marketed fresh and frozen and also dried or salted, smoked and canned .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 14. Back bluish, turning to deep purple or almost black on head. Scaleless area with pattern of 15 or more fairly broad, nearly vertical dark bars. Belly white. Pectoral and pelvic fins purple, their inner sides black. Body robust, elongate and rounded. Teeth small and conical, in a single series. Pectoral fins short, not reaching vertical line from anterior margin of scaleless area above corselet. A large, single-pointed flap (interpelvic process) between pelvic fins. Body naked except for corselet, which is well developed in its posterior part 9 more than 6 scales wide under second dorsal-fin origin). A strong central keel on each side of caudal-fin base between 2 smaller keels (Ref 9684).: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Bullet tuna is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Fecundity ranges between 31,000 and 103,000 eggs per spawning according to the size of the fish.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous ; depth range 10 - ? m . Tropical; ? - 28°C ; 61°N - 51°S, 180°W - 180°E
🌿 Ecology
small fishes, particularly anchovies, crustaceans (especially crab and stomatopod larvae) and squids
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- heavy 30-80 lb class trolling rod
- conventional reel
- 80-130 lb wind-on leader
- temperature breaks
- floating debris
- current edges
- offshore seamounts
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ International management (ICCAT, WCPFC). Strict quotas and size limits.
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Bonito · Bullet tuna · Bullet-tuna · Corseletted Frigate Mackerel · Firgate Tuna · Frigate Tuna · Maru Frigate Mackerel · Plain Bonito · bullet mackerel · frigate mackerel · long corseletted frigate mackerel |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | Matseti · بونيتو العادي · تونة الرصاصة · ماكريل الفرقاطة المشدية · ماكريل الفرقاطة المشدية الطويل · ماكريل الفرقاطة مارو |
| 🏳️Catalan | Mèlvera · baldufa · melva |
| 🌍CES | tuňák makrelovitý |
| 🌍CYM | Mecryll Roche · macrell Roche |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Bredskællet fregatmakrel · Fregatmakrel |
| 🇩🇪German | Fregattmakrele · Makrelenthun · Melvera-Fregattmakrele · Unechter Bonito |
| 🌍ELL | Kopani · Koponi-kopanaki · Κοπάνι |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | kuulamakrilli |
| 🇫🇷French | Auxide · Bonitou, Auxide, Melva · bonite · bonitou |
| 🌍HEB | פלמודה ים-תיכונית |
| 🇮🇹Italian | tombarello |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Dainanpo · Kubarai · Magatsuwo · Manba · Marusôda · マルソウダ |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 몽치다래 |
| 🌍MLT | Bizu · Mazzita · Pizzintun · Sfuee · Tombile · Tumbarello · Tumbreall · Zeru |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | boniet · fregatmakreel · kogeltonijn · valse bonito |
| 🌍NNO | auxid |
| 🌍NOB | auxid |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Auxid |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Tazar |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Bonito-cachorro · Cavala · Judeu · Judeu melveira |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Cкумбриевидный тунец · Mакрелетунец · Поперечно-полосатая макрель-фрегат · Скумбревидный тунец · Тунец скумбриевидный · макрелетунец · поперечно-полосатая макрель · скумбриевидный тунец |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Barrilete Negro · Botellita · Melva Aleticorto · Sanguzo · melva · melvera · Bonito |
| 🌍SQI | Skumbriya · skumbri i madh · toni ngjyrë plumb · trupi |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | auxid |
| 🌍THA | ปลาโอหลอด |
| 🌍TUR | Gobene baliği · Tombarello |
| 🌍UKR | Тунець скумбрійовидний · Тунець скумбрієвий |
| 🌍VIE | Cá ngừ o |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 圓舵鰹 · 圓花鰹 · 雙鰭舵鰹 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auxis bisus | Rafinesque | 1810 | Synonym |
| Auxis maru | Kishinouye | 1915 | Synonym |
| Auxis ramsayi | Castelnau | 1879 | Synonym |
| Auxis rochei rochei | - | - | Synonym |
| Auxis thynnoides | Bleeker | 1855 | Synonym |
| Auxis vulgaris | Cuvier | 1832 | Synonym |
| Scomber bisus | Rafinesque | 1810 | Synonym |
| Scomber rochei | Risso | 1810 | Synonym |
| Thunnus rocheanus | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Thynnus rocheanus | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 17 records indexed .
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