Yellowfin Tuna
NICKNAME: | Yellowfins |
COMMON LENGTH: | 2 – 3 ft |
COMMON WEIGHT: | 15 – 30 lbs |
MAX LENGTH: | 5 – 6 ft |
MAX WEIGHT: | 400+ lbs |
WORLD RECORD: | 424 lbs, Mexico |
GENERAL
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max. length: 50 cm (1.6 ft), weight: 1.8 kg (4 lb)) up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (max. length: 4.6 m (15 ft), weight: 684 kg (1,508 lb)). The Atlantic bluefin averages 2 m (6.6 ft), and is believed to live up to 50 years.
Tuna, opah, and mackerel sharks are the only species of fish that can maintain a body temperature higher than that of the surrounding water. An active and agile predator, the tuna has a sleek, streamlined body, and is among the fastest-swimming pelagic fish – the yellowfin tuna, for example, is capable of speeds of up to 75 km/h (47 mph).[3][4] However, greatly inflated speeds can be found in early scientific reports and still widely reported in the popular literature.[4] Found in warm seas, it is extensively fished commercially, and is popular as a game fish.