Scientific Name
Thunnus orientalis

Common Name
Pacific bluefin tuna

Biology
Mean number of gill rakers 35.9. First ventrally directed parapophysis on vertebra number 8. Dorsal wall of body cavity has a narrow bulge with lateral concavity and wide lateral trough. Caudal keels dark.

Classification

Classified By

Temminck & Schlegel, 1844

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Mackerels, tunas, bonitos (Scombridae)

Distribution

Region

North Pacific

Distribution

North Pacific: Gulf of Alaska to southern California and Baja California and from Sakhalin Island in the southern Sea of Okhotsk south to northern Philippines. There are four substantiated records of this subspecies in the southern hemisphere: off Western Australia, southeast Pacific (37?11'S, 114?41'W) and Gulf of Papua (Ref. 10997). The species occurs mainly in the northern Pacific but ventures into New Zealand waters for at least three months during spring and early summer (Ref. 83312).

Range

52°N - 50°S, 112°E - -77°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

200 m

Zone

pelagic-oceanic

Environment

Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 1 - 200 m (Ref. 58302)

Trophic Level

4.21 s.e. 0.55 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

300 cm

Common Length

200 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5039 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (60 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=3-5; tmax=15; K=0.1-0.2)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated