SYNOPSIS of BIOLOGICAL DATA on the BLACKFIN TUNA Thunnus Atlanticus (Lesson) 1830 (WESTERN ATLANTIC)
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Species Synopsis No. 25 FAO Fisheries Biology Synopsis No, 68 FIb/S68 (Distribution restricted) SAST - Tuna SYNOPSIS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA ON THE BLACKFIN TUNA Thunnus atlanticus (Lesson) 1830 (WESTERN ATLANTIC) Exposé synoptique sur la biologie du thon à nageoires noires Thunnus atlanticus (Lessoñ) 1830 (Atlantique Ouest) Sinopsis sobre la biología del atn de aleta negra Thunnus atlanticus (Lesson) 1830 (Atlántico Occidental) Prepared by C, P, IDYLL and DONALD DE SYLVA Institute of Marine Science University of Miami Miami, Florida, U. S. A, EISHERIES DIVISION, BIOLOGY BRANCH OOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS tome, 1963 761 Fb/S6& Tuna 1:1 i IDENTITY at vertical of the origin of the second dorsal fin in a 443 mm. fish measuring 2.75 nun, high 1,1 Taxonomy and 2,6 ulm. long. Corselet small, inconspic- uous, largely over the base of the pectoral. 1.1.1 Definition "Lateral line complete, slightly wavy, Phylum Vertebrata not very high anteriorly, becoming median in Subphylum Craniata position only on the posterior caudal peduncle. Supe rc lass Gnathost omata Series Pisces "Head conical, 3.15 to 3.6 in standard Class Teleostomj length, the lower profile slightly more con- Subclass Actinopterygij vex than the upper. Snout not especially Order sharp, 2.9 to 3.25 in the head length. Eye Suborder -Scombroidej large, obliquely set in head, 4,35 to 6 in Family Scombridae head length (5.3 to 6 in fish over 380 mm,); Genus Thunnus South adipose eyelid very smell; interorbital space Species atlanticus (Lesson) convex, 2.6 to 3,6. 1.1.2Description "Posterior nostril an elongate vertical slit, its length slightly less than one-half Genus Thunnus the eye diameter. Anterior nostril very small, situated a considerable distance "Body oblong, robust, with very slender anterior to the posterior nostril and at the caudal peduncle, Head conical, Mouth wide, level of the upper edge of the latter, with one series of small, conical teeth in the jaws and bands of minute multiform or "Mouth oblique, the mouth opening convex sand-like teeth on the vomer and palatines, when viewed from the side, the convexity being Scales present, those of the pectoral region upward. Maxillary 2.4 to 2,5 in the head, forming an obscure corselet. First dorsal of its posterior margin extending from anterior 12 to 15 spines which grow gradually sorter margin of eye to anterior margin of pupil, bachward, the interval between last spine and the width of the posterior ecpanion being second dorsal slight; second dorsal and anal about 2 in the diameter of the eye, short and rather high, each with 8 or 10 finlets; ventrals moderate; pectorals moderate, "Teeth moderate in jaws, uniserial, inserted below the level of the eye, Vertebrae simple, conic, 33 to 40 above on each side normal, 39 to 41 in number., the lower forami.na (27, Fowler), 32 to 41 on each side below small." (Jordan and Eermann, 1896:869-70). (32, Fowler). Vomer, palatines and a patch on the tongue with finely granular teeth. Thunnus atlanticus (Lesson) 1830 "Gill-rakers slender but strong, 4 to 6 "Body thickset, spindle-shae.d. Smaller plus 15 to 18 on the first gill-arch. In individuals slightly more compressed later- 58 specimens inwhichthe gill-rakers were ally than the larger. Depth 3.12 to 4.05 in counted, 13, or 22 percent had asymmetrical the length, the greatest depth of body about counts on the arches of the right and left half way from base to tip of pectoral fin. sides. Caudal peduncle depressed, with a triangular, rather short dermal keel on each side, the "Dorsal fin XIII to XIV--III or IV, length of the keel being about one and one-half 10 to 13 (last ray a connected finlet)-- to two times the diameter of the eye. On VII to IX. Second dorsal spine highest, the base of the caudal peduncle above and be.: the first almost as high as the secoid, the low the large keel is a very short, oblique spines after the second becoming -progress- dermal keel. A small keel on the body above ively shorter, first abruptly and then grad- the upper edge of the pectoral fin which ually. Soft dorsal loW. Anal fin II to flI, allows the upper edge of the fin to lie flat with IO to 12 (last ray a connected $inlet)-- the contour of the body. VII to VIII. Anal lObe similar to dorsal in shape and size. "Body completely scaled, the scales small, compact, absent on head, smallest below, espec- "Coloration: This species in life is ially anteriorly- - those between the pectoral exceedingly brilliant, A 555 mm.specimen and ventral fins minute. Scale from midside whose colors were recorded before the fish 762 1:2 EIb/S68 Tuna was removed from water was described as 12,2 Synonyms follows: Dorsal surface and inner side of pectoral fins jet black, the former Thynnus atlanticus Lesson, 1830 bordered laterally with bright blue. A Thynnus balteatus Cuvier and lateral band from snout to tail of bril- Valenciennes, 1831 liantly ii-idescent shining gold1 very wide Thynnus coretta Cuvier and and including the outer side of the pec- Valenciennes, 1831 toral fin. Lower sides shining silver, Parathunnus obesus (non Lowe) ,Beebe with a large oval patch on the sides be- and Tee-Van 1928 tween the pectoral andpelvic fins silvery Parathunnus rosengarteni Fowler, 1934 iridescent. Sides and ventral parts with Parathunnus ambiguus Mowbray, 1935 eleven vertical bars and an equal number Parathunnus atlanticus, Beebe aoci of bands of spots alternating with the Tee-Van, 1936 bars. Second dorsal lobe with a tinge of Thunnus atlanticus, Rivas, 1951 yellow, but all other vertical fins black livas 1951; 1961) with a narrow white border, especially marked on the finlets, 12,3 Standard common names, vernacular names "Mowbray's description of his speci- mens is as follows: "Colour, blue black United States - Atlantic blackfin above, a bright blue stripe, with one of tuna yellow below it, separates the upper blackfin tuna colour from the lower, which isa silvery a lb acore gray; region of the ventrals and the a lb accra belly, milky white: the spinous dorsal Bermuda tuna is dusky, the membrane lighter than the spines, British Guiana Blackfin bonito "The soft dorsal and anal are dusky British ost Indies - Blackfin tuna with a silvery lustre, the finlets are blackfinned tuna dusky, with a trace of yellow: this is blackfin bonito more pronounced in some specimens: the blackfin albacore pectorals are black, the base outwardly bonito is washed with silver. thon thon nuit "The ventrals are milky white out- thon noir wardly when closed, and dusky inwardly bail lo let with a metallic lustre when opened: the petit thon (Patois) caudal is dusky, the sides of the belly show white spots which appear as reticu- Haiti bonite lations: thisI believe to be seasonal, deep-bodied tunny asI noticed them only in the winter months; I do not know if they disappear Bermuda Bigeye tuna (confused in G. alalunga or not," with T, obesus?) "There is considerable variation in Martinique - Petit thon color and in some specimens the lower bonite noir side of the pectoral fin is silvery, the fin not being included in the golden Saintes - Thon noir lateral band. At death the golden band fades rapidly and usually only traces of Guadeloupe - Thon noir it remain." (Beebe and Tee-Van, 1936: gi romon 181-183) St, Lucia - Thon nuit Usteological studies on the blackfin tuna have been carried out by de Sylva Cuba - Albacora (1955) (largely from Rosa, 1950, and 1.2 Nomenclature Morice and Cadenat, 1952), 1,2,1 Valid scientific names Thunnus atlanticus (Lesson) 1830 763 FIb/So8 Tuna 1:3 1,3General variability The following measurements are adapted from Table I of Beebe and Tee-Vai (1936): 1.3,1Subspecific fragmenta- tion (racesvarieties, Table III hybrids) Bermuda Tobago - Meristic data (2 specimens) (22 specimens) Length, mm 263-583 383-570 Mather (1962) gives the following counts Depth in length 3.12-3.76 3.7-4.05 of gill rakers on the first arch for Head in length 3,1-3.4 3.25-3.6 T. atlanticus Eye in head 4.35-6 5.2-5,5 Snout in head 3 -3.5 2.9-3,3 I Maxillary in head 2,45-2,5 2.4-2,5 Interorbitalin head3-3.1 3.06-3.2 No. 20 21 22 23 24 First dorsal spines13-14 13-14 Second dorsal rays III or IV, III,. 11 Frequency 3 16 24 7 1 10-12 Dorsal finlets 7-8 8-9 Rivas (1961:141) presents proportional Anal rays II-111,10-12 111,11 data on six specimens ofT.. atlanticus, from Anal finlets 7-8 8 Miami, Panama City, and St. Petersburg, Pettoral fin in length 3.3-3.7 3-3,7 Florida, and from San Juan, Puerto Rico, as Pectoral fin in head 1-1.1 9-1.08 follows: Pectoral ray count 1,32-33 1,31-32 Gill rakers, upper 5-6 5-6 Table II Gill rakers, lower 15-18 15-16 Middle of eye to Range, mm Mean,mai snout in head 2.4-2.5 2.4-2.44 Snout to pelvic fin Body length 520-885 650 origin in length 2.75-2.9 2.8-2,9 Head length 284-309 295 Snout to first dorsal Iris diameter 42-57 49 fin in length 2.95-3.2 3-3.1 First predorsal length 291-323 309 Snout to second dor- Second predorsal length 540-584 557 sal fin in length 1.67-1,76 1.66-1.76 Prepelvic length 313-346 330 Snout to anus in length 1.45-1.5 1,46-1,53 Preanal length 625-666 637 Height ist dorsal Body depth 264-298 282 spine in head 2.2-2.45 2,15-2,5 Pectoral fin length 222-299 266 Height 2nd dorsal Height second dorsal 106-138 118 fin lobe in head 2,7-3.1 3,1-3.6 Height anal 100-131 109 Height anal fin lobe in head 2.85-3.4 3.2-4.2 Rivas (1951:220) diagnoses T.