General Information

COMMON NAMES: Dogtooth Tuna, Dogtoothed Tuna; German Einfarben-Thunfisch; French Bonite à Gros Yeux, Bonite à Dents de Chien TRADITIONAL NAMES: Varu (RR MG AT MK MT AK), Tawatawa (PL), Tavatava (TS TW MH PK); Other Polynesian - Vau (TAH) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Tuamotus, s.Japan to Rapa. COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Marine, reef-slope and pelagic, 15-100+m.; One of the few tunas which is essentially a reef-dweller. It feeds on a variety of fishes. SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Prized food; Poisonous to eat - if stored poorly KEY FEATURES: To 150cm FL and 100kg. Body fusiform, elongate, moderately. compressed; mainly naked; scaled corselet anteriorly. 1st Dorsal dark anteriorly; 13-15 spines; low and long-based, almost reaches triangular 2nd Dorsal; finlets 6-7; tail long and C-shaped. Upper body bright blue-black, lower body silvery; no lines or spots; all fins and tail grey. Lateral line is wavy.

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+	^^^P	^P				++

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
+			P		++

Gymnosarda unicolor (Rüppell, 1836)
SYNONYMS: Gymnosarda nuda; Thynnus unicolor [O] [Scomberomorus sp. of G&S85 on SW]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Scombroidei; SCOMBRIDAE, Sardini

Vouchers:
Mangaia: Photo Sue Ngatokorua, 9/2000, ID GMcC. Atiu: field-specimen, College collection, 10/2000, ID GMcC. Palmerston: Photo10 as Scomberomorus sp. (G&S85), reID N.Sims (Sims88); Listed (Preston95). Tongareva: listed in T&P85. Pukapuka: informant reports at NBSAP meeting, 2/2004. Suwarrow: Photo10 as Scomberomorus sp. (G&S85), reID N.Sims (Sims88). Reported (Sims EIA99).

References:
Special Reference: Collette, B.B. & C.E. Nauen, FAO species catalogue. Vol. 2. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of tunas, mackerels, bonitos and related species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. (125)Vol.2:40.

text p.254 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 134b Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
p.447 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.603 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 131-02 Lieske & Myers (1996) Coral Reef Fishes
plate 97-12 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....
Species No. 344 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

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