General Information

COMMON NAMES: Yellowfin Tuna, Albacore, Autumn Albacore, Yellowfin Tunny, Yellowfin Albacore; French Albacore TRADITIONAL NAMES: ‘A‘ai (RR AK), ‘A‘ai / Otava (MG), ‘A‘ai < Toeveri (AT), ‘A‘ai / ‘Ā‘āvere (MK), ‘A‘ai ‘Iku-rōroa (MT), Ahi (PL), Kakasi (TS TW), Kakahi / Tahara < Kakahi < Ave (MH), Kakai / Kakai < Ave / Kakayi [arch.] (PK); Other Polynesian - Aahi (TAH); COMMENT: MG: slender type called Otava (NBSAP). GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE cirumtropics - subtropics (to 45°S) COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group, common in season; N.Group, abundant. PLUS:; Marine, pelagic 0-250m SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Prized food fish, and second most important in the longline fishery.; Poisonous to eat if stored poorly KEY FEATURES: To 200cm and 175kg. Fusiform, round, elongate; with very small scales. Dark blue above, yellowish sides and silvery below; lower half often with narrow broken PALE BARS. Dorsals, Anal, Pelvics and Finlets all bright yellow; 2nd Dorsal elongates with age to become distinctively long and curved. SIMILAR SPECIES: One of three tuna with yellow or yellowish fins. The Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) has finlets edged black and no body bars (also rounded pectoral tips). The Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) has a conspicuous white line on the trailing edge of tail, and no body bars.

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

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

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

Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788)
SYNONYMS: Neothunnus albacares; Scomber albacares [O]; Thunnus macropterus; Thynnus albacares

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

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -. Comment: NBSAP - Mitiaro (8 of 10 wild animals)
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Prized food fish, and second most important in the longline fishery.. Comments: Important in artisanal fishery and in oceanic commercial fishery. In 1990 comprised 21-27% of annual catch of the four main tuna species (CINew 9/Aug/03)
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Poisonous to eat if stored poorly

GENERAL NOTE: Fast growing, maturing at 2 years; and at six years they can reach 200cm and more than 150kg. Fishery similar size to Skipjack. Caught mainly in equatorial area by purse seines and pole-and-line. The most important longline fishery species after albacore. (Josh Mitchell, CINew 9/Aug/03)

Vouchers:
Mangaia: Photo Sue Ngatokorua, 9/2000, ID GMcC. Mauke: fieldspecimen, College, 3/2001, ID GMcC. Palmerston: Listed (Preston95). Tongareva: listed in T&P85. Manihiki: A963-1specimen as Neothunnus albacora (B&M74), reID as T. albacares (Sims88). Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Thunnus albacares.

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.2:83.

p.445 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.602 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 96-08 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....
Species No. 341 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

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

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