Family : Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) , subfamily: Scombrinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Skipjack tuna
Fish Name : Katsuwonus pelamis
Max size : 110 cm NG (male/unsexed; Ref. 58652); max. published weight: 34.5 kg (Ref. 168); max. reported age: 12 years
Environment : pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 260 m
Climate : tropical; 15 - 30°C; 58°N - 47°S
Global Importance : fisheries: highly commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.3-0.5; tm=2-3; tmax=12; Fec=80,000)Distribution : Cosmopolitan in tropical and warm-temperate waters. Not found in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Ref. 28950) and the Black Sea. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 14-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-15; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 14-15; Vertebrae: 41-41. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Body without scales except for the corselet and the lateral line. Swim bladder absent. The back is dark purplish blue, lower sides and belly silvery, with 4 to six very conspicuous longitudinal dark bands which in live specimens may appear as continuous lines of dark blotches.
Biology : Found in offshore waters; larvae restricted to waters with surface temperatures of 15°C to 30°C (Ref. 6390). Exhibit a strong tendency to school in surface waters with birds, drifting objects, sharks, whales and may show a characteristic behavior like jumping, feeding, foaming, etc. Feed on fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods and mollusks; cannibalism is common. Spawn throughout the year in the tropics, eggs released in several portions (Ref. 35388). Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6769). Preyed upon by large pelagic fishes (Ref. 6885). Also taken by trolling on light tackle using plugs, spoons, feathers, or strip bait (Ref. 9684). Marketed fresh, frozen or canned (Ref. 9340); also dried-salted and smoked (Ref. 9987)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990
Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B.
Main Ref : Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen. 1983. (Ref. 168)

India country information
Common Names : Skiy jack, ചൂര, कुपा, गिदार, बुगुदी, ગેદર , Bokado, Bonito, Bugudi, Choora, Gedar, Gedar, Kalabila-mas, Kuppa, Oceanic skipjack, Skipjack Tuna, Skipjack-tuna, Striped tuna, Stripped tuna
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses