Sarda lineolata

Sarda lineolata

Pacific bonito (Sarda lineolata (Girard, 1858)) is a fish belonging to the Scombridae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Phylum Chordata,
Class Actinopterygii,
Order Perciformes,
Scombridae family,
Genus Sardinian,
S. lineolata species.
The terms are synonyms:
– Pelamys lineolata Girard, 1858;
– Sarda chiliensis subsp. lineolata (Girard, 1858).

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
The Sarda lineolata is a fish that lives in the eastern Pacific and is a pelagic species that normally frequents the tropical waters of the Pacific, from California to Alaska, with some visits to Iceland and the North Atlantic.
In the eastern Pacific it is found everywhere from the coast to about 150 km offshore, from northern Vancouver Island to Mexico, although it is not normally found north of Point Conception.
This fish is instead an occasional presence in the Mediterranean.

Description –
The Sarda lineolata is a fish that can reach 102 cm in total length and 11.3 kg in weight in males and has a slightly compressed fusiform body. It has a blue to purple coloration above, with a metallic sheen that becomes silvery ventrally.
The mouth is wide, the teeth and jaws are strong.
The two dorsal fins, of which the first has 9-27 rays and originate immediately behind the head, are separate and can be reclined in special grooves. There are 5 to 12 pinnulae behind the dorsal and anal fins. The pectoral fins are high and the pelvic ones modest and with 6 thin rays. The caudal fin is strongly hollowed out and bilobed, laterally keeled and suitable for fast swimming, which is facilitated by a circulatory system which limits heat dispersion.

Biology –
Sarda lineolata is a fish that reproduces in tropical and subtropical waters, near the coast.
The larvae are planktonic.

Ecological Role –
This species, although it has been considered for a long time a subspecies of the Sarda chiliensis, according to recent analyzes it has been recognized as a separate species.
As mentioned, it lives from Alaska to the Baja California peninsula, to the south-western Gulf of California and to the Revillagigedo Islands (Mexican archipelago) but reproduces in tropical and subtropical waters.
It feeds on small fish, crustaceans and squid.
It is caught trolling and still fishing, using feathered lures, spoons or live bait and, moreover, it is the object of sport fishing.
However, it is little considered from a food point of view.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Louisy P., 2016. Guide to the identification of marine fish of Europe and the Mediterranean. Il Castello Editore, Milan.
– Nikiforos G., 2008. Fauna of the Mediterranean. Giunti Editore, Florence.

Photo source:
– https://www.fishbase.se/FieldGuide/FieldGuideSummary.php?genusname=Sarda&speciesname=lineolata&c_code=840A