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Bonito (Sarda orientalis) — Scombridae

Bonito

Sarda orientalis
Family: Scombridae
LC · Least Concern

The Bonito (Sarda orientalis) is a saltwater fish of the family Scombridae that grows up to 102 cm.

Length
102 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–167.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The striped bonito is a fast tuna relative from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 100 cm and has a powerful, torpedo-shaped, blue-silver body with oblique dark stripes over the back and a row of small finlets before the tail. As a pelagic predator it schools in open water and hunts small fish and squid. It is an important commercial food and sport fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bonito?

The Bonito has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly blue and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Bonito live?

The Bonito lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Bonito get?

The Bonito grows to a maximum of about 102 cm. On average the species is around 55 cm.

Is the Bonito dangerous to humans?

No, the Bonito is harmless to humans.

Is the Bonito edible?

Yes, the Bonito is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Oosterse bonito verified
English name
Bonito verified
Scientific name
Sarda orientalis
Family
Scombridae
Other names
Bonito; Indo-Pacific bonito verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
102.0 verified
Average length (cm)
55.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Crescent (lunate) inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
167.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Trollen en netvisserij sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Sarda

More from the family Scombridae

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