Skipjack Tuna facts

Dictionary of Fish : Fish Directory - reference guide to Skipjack Tuna

Skipjack Tuna	Euthynnus pelamis

Facts about Skipjack Tuna

Gulfwide in blue water. It tends to use the upper part of the water column. This fish can be identified by its color alone. It is the only member of the tuna family with horizontal stripes on its belly. In large specimens the lines may be broken into rows of blotches. The back is dark purplish blue. This is a migratory species that forms very large schools, often with another small tuna, the blackfin. They are ravenous predators, primarily on fishes and squid that can eat nearly a third of their body weight in a day.