|
FAO Names |
 |
En - Longtail tuna; Fr - Thon mignon; Sp - atn tongol. |
Size |
|
 Maximum fork length is
about 130 em. In the Indian Ocean, common fork lengths
range between 40 and 70 cm (Silas & Pillai, 1982).
The all-tackle angling record is a 35.9 kg fish of 136 em
fork length taken at Montagne Island, New South Wales,
Australia, in 1982. |
| Diagnostic Features | |
 A small species,
deepest near middle of first dorsal fin base. Gillrakers
few, 19 to 27 on first arch. Second dorsal fin higher
than first dorsal; pectoral fins short to moderately
long, 22 to 31% of fork length in smaller specimens
(under 60 cm fork length) and 16 to 22% in larger
individuals; ventral surface of liver not striated.
Swimbladder absent or rudimentary. Vertebrae 18 precaudal
plus 21 caudal. Colour: lower sides and belly silvery
white with colourless elongate oval spots arranged in
horizontally oriented rows; dorsal, pectoral and pelvic
fins blackish, tip of second dorsal and anal fins washed
with yellow; anal fin silvery; dorsal and anal liver
finlets yellow with greyish margins; caudal fin blackish,
with streaks of yellowish green. |
| Geographical Distribution | |
 Indo-West Pacific Ocean from Japan south through the Philippines to Papua New Guinea, New Britain, the northern three quarters of Australia (Twofold Bay, New South Wales to Freemantle, Western Australia) west through the East Indies to both coasts of India, southern Arabian Peninsula, the Red Sea and the Somalia coast. |
