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yellowfin tuna (THUNNUS ALBACARES)

Line
Class
kgs		 Line
Class
lbs		 Weight
in
kgs		 Weight
in
lbs. ozs		 Place
of
capture		 Country
of
capture		 Date
of
capture		 Name
of
angler
     
TUNA, YELLOW-FINNED / THUNNUS ALBACARES
8 16 12.73 28.1 Neos-Marmaras Greece 040988 I. Kilbourn
15 30 44.25 97.9 Graciosa Canary Is. 050892 E. Arienti
24 50 98.15 216.6 San Miguel Azores 060804 G Kukhtim
37 80 95.00 209.7 Puerto Rico Canary Is.. 201095 H. Lehmkuhl
60 130 70.50 155.7 Puerto Rico Canary Is. 231093  H. Lehmkuhl
AT AT 98.15 216.6 San Miguel Azores 060804 G Kukhtim

The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

was first described by Bonnaterre in 1788, when it was named Scomber albacares. The fish appeared under a variety of names before Ginsburg first used the combination Thunnus albacares in 1953. The genus name Thunnus is derived from the Greek "thynnos" meaning tunna.

Yellowfin tunas are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters, from latitudes of approximately 40°N to 35°S. They are absent in the Mediterranean Sea.

The yellowfin tuna is a highly migratory fish. In the Pacific Ocean, however, there is little evidence for long-range north-south or east-west migration. This suggests relatively little genetic exchange between the eastern, central, and western Pacific Ocean and perhaps the development of subspecies.

The yellowfin tuna is an epipelagic, oceanic fish, living above and below the thermocline, at temperatures of 65 to 88°F (18-31°C). It is generally found in the upper 330 feet (100 m) of the water column.

Yellowfin Tuna (THUNNUS ALBACARES) - European Federation of Sea Angling

Yellowfin are strong schoolers. Their tendency to school with organisms of the same size is stronger than the tendency to school by species. They often swim in mixed schools of skipjack, bigeye, and other tunas. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, larger yellowfin frequently school in association with dolphins, particularly the spotted dolphin, spinner dolphin, and common dolphin. Such associations with dolphins have not been observed in the rest of the Pacific, the Indian, or the Atlantic Oceans.

Yellowfin will commonly school under drifting objects such as driftwood, patches of seagrass, boats, or dead marine mammals. There are many hypotheses addressing the reasons for schooling under such items. Yellowfin may be attracted to the object to feed on smaller prey which are foraging on the structure. The drifting object provides shade and shelter from predators. Yellowfin tuna may utilize the object as a substrate on which to lay their eggs or as a "cleaning station," where parasites are removed by other fishes. Also, the fish may view the object as a "schooling companion".

Yellowfin swimming further from the surface are less likely to school, and tend to scatter. There is perhaps less benefit to schooling in such cases, as there are fewer predators and little reason to attempt to obtain food at depth.

Information supplied by www.flmnh.ufl.edu

 
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