The

mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

, tuna, and

bonito Bonitos are a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish in the family Scombridae – a family it shares with the mackerel, tuna, and Spanish mackerel tribes, and also the butterfly kingfish. Also called the tribe Sardini, it consists of ...

family, Scombridae, includes many of the most important and familiar food fishes. The family consists of 51 species in 15 genera and two subfamilies. All species are in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Scombrinae, except the butterfly kingfish, which is the sole member of subfamily Gasterochismatinae. Scombrids have two dorsal fins and a series of

finlet Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as s ...

s behind the rear dorsal fin and

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

. The caudal fin is strongly divided and rigid, with a slender, ridged base. The first (spiny) dorsal fin and the pelvic fins are normally retracted into body grooves. Species lengths vary from the of the island mackerel to the recorded for the immense Atlantic bluefin tuna. Scombrids are generally predators of the open ocean, and are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. They are capable of considerable speed, due to a highly streamlined body and retractable fins. Some members of the family, in particular the tunas, are notable for being partially endothermic (warm-blooded), a feature that also helps them to maintain high speed and activity. Other adaptations include a large amount of red muscle, allowing them to maintain activity over long periods. Scombrids like the yellowfin tuna can reach speeds of 22 km/hr (14 mph).

Classification

Jordan, Evermann and Clark (1930) divide these fishes into the four families: Cybiidae, Katsuwonidae, Scombridae, and Thunnidae, but taxonomists later classified them all into a single family, the Scombridae. The World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London jointly issued their "Living Blue Planet Report" on 16 September 2015 which states that a dramatic fall of 74% occurred in worldwide stocks of scombridae fish between 1970 and 2010, and the global overall "population sizes of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish fell by half on average in just 40 years". The 51 extant species are in 15 genera and two subfamilies – with the subfamily Scombrinae further grouped into four tribes, as: ;Family Scombridae * Subfamily Gasterochismatinae ** Genus '' Gasterochisma'' * Subfamily Scombrinae ** Tribe Scombrini –

s *** Genus '' Rastrelliger'' *** Genus '' Scomber'' ** Tribe Scomberomorini – Spanish mackerels *** Genus '' Acanthocybium'' *** Genus '' Grammatorcynus'' *** Genus '' Orcynopsis'' *** Genus '' Scomberomorus'' ** Tribe Sardini –

s *** Genus ''

Sarda Sarda may refer to : Places and jurisdictions * Sarda (Albanian Sardë), a ruined ancient town, on Shurdhah Island in northern Albania. * The former Diocese of Sarda, now a Latin Catholic titular see * Sarda river, a river which forms part of t ...

'' *** Genus '' Cybiosarda'' *** Genus '' Gymnosarda'' ** Tribe Thunnini – tunas *** Genus '' Allothunnus'' *** Genus '' Auxis'' *** Genus '' Euthynnus'' *** Genus '' Katsuwonus'' *** Genus '' Thunnus''

References

External links

* * Skaphandrus.co
Scombridae
{{Authority control Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque Ray-finned fish families

Classification

See also

References

External links