| Kawakawa | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scombriformes |
| Family: | Scombridae |
| Genus: | Euthynnus |
| Species: | E. affinis |
| Binomial name | |
| Euthynnus affinis (Cantor, 1849) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Euthynnus affinis, themackerel tuna,little tuna,eastern little tuna,wavyback skipjack tuna,kawakawa,[4] ortongkol komo is aspecies ofray-finnedbony fish in thefamilyScombridae, ormackerel family. It belongs to thetribeThunnini, better known as thetunas.[5] It is also in the genusEuthynnus of "little tunas," which includes thelittle tunny and theblack skipjack.
Euthynnus affinis formerly was known asEuthynnus yaito.[6]
E. Affinis displays a typical tuna body shape with a slender, elongated body, and a deeply forked tail. It has a small amount of scales and 2 or more dark spots between the pelvic and pectoral fins. The first dorsal fin has 10-15 spines and is around 1/3rd of the tuna's body height. On its back, it displays 12 oblique stripes and a dark blue coloration forcountershading. It can reach a maximum length of 1.1 metres (3.6 ft) and a weight up to 15 kilograms (33 lb).[7][8]
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To distinguish from the closely relatedblack skipjack, also of the Pacific Ocean, the kawakawa has more broken stripes instead of straight stripes spanning the side of the body on the black skipjack. The stripes on the back of the kawakawa are more orderly than those of thelittle tunny, which is primary found in the Atlantic Ocean.[9]
E. Affinis is anIndo-Pacific species which is found from theRed Sea toFrench Polynesia,[1] but can also be found nearBaja California.[7]
The kawakawa is apelagic, highly migratory species, often schooling from the surface of the water to depths of 200 metres (660 ft). However, it often sticks close to coastal structures andneritic shelves instead of the open ocean. It is also known to commonly inhabit coastal reefs and move into estuaries.[10][9] It prefers waters ranging from 18–29 °C (64–84 °F).
It is a highly opportunistic feeder, eatingsquid,fish,crustaceans, andzooplankton. Like other tuna species, it will often form large, multi-species schools with otherscombridaes like theyellowfin tuna andfrigate mackerel.[7]
Predators ofE. Affinis include larger tuna, billfish, sharks, birds, and marine mammals.
While often being seen as an undesirable fish like others in its genus due to its strong taste and dark red meat, it is commonly eaten inHawaiian andOceanic cultures, as well as being used insashimi. The kawakawa is also caught in large amounts in the indo-pacific region, and is canned and sold frozen for human consumption. It is also commonly used for pet food.
Due to it being a reef-frequenting species, there is a possibility ofciguatera poisoning.[7]
