Thunnus tonggol

Longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol )

The long tail tuna ( Thunnus tonggol ) is a relatively small of tuna, which is found in the Indo-Pacific region, especially near the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Southeast Asia and Australia.

Features

The long tail tuna is a relatively small species of tuna. It is up to 130 cm long, the average lengths are typically in the range of 40 and 70 centimeters. The largest ever caught long-tailed tuna had a length of 136 centimeters and a weight of 35.9 kg; He came from the area around Montagne Iceland, New South Wales. The coloration of the back and upper flanks is gray blue, the belly and the lower edge parts silvery white with long oval spots. The back, chest and pelvic fins are black, the tips of the first dorsal fin and the anal fin are brightened yellowish. and the anal fin itself is silvery. The finlets are yellow with gray shading, borders, the caudal fin is black with yellow-green stripes.

The highest altitude reached the fish about in the middle of the first dorsal fin. The second dorsal fin is much higher than the first. The pectoral fins are extended and be maintained at 22 % ( in adult animals ) to 31 % of the total length. The name derives from the long and narrow caudal peduncle, which is equipped like all tuna fishing with small fins ( finlets ).

Distribution and habitat

The distribution area of the long tail tuna is located in the Indo-Pacific region, especially near the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Southeast Asia with the Philippines and Papua New Guinea as well as along the coast of Australia with the exception of the south coast. In the Arabian Peninsula the tuna penetrates into the southern Red Sea and is found in accordance with and on the coast of Somalia.

The Long Tail Tuna is a fish that primarily resides in the shallow waters of the coastal shelf area. He avoids strong currents and areas with lower salinity, such as estuaries of rivers.

Way of life

Like all tuna is also the long tail tuna an opportunistic hunter and feeds on a wide range of small schooling fish, crustaceans and squid. Because of their size they are themselves hunted by few predators, especially sharks and toothed whales as predators in question. He can form groups of varying size.

Use

The long tail tuna is fished both with nets and with longlines. Main fishing nations are Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, India and the United Arab Emirates.