Family SCOMBRIDAE

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Introduction

Most members of the Scombridae (mackerels, tunas, bonitos) are important commercially, and many are highly prized as recreational or game fish; commercial fisheries information on Australian species is provided in Kailola et al. (1993). Worldwide, the family includes 15 genera and 59 species (Collette & Nauen 1983; Collette et al. 2001; Collette 2003), with 25 species in 14 genera recorded from Australian waters.

Scombrids are primarily epipelagic in temperate and tropical waters of the world. However, species of Scomberomorus are more coastal, with some entering estuaries. The biology of the tunas is discussed by Block & Stevens (2001). The maximum size reached is 4.2 m.

The family was reviewed by Collette & Nauen (1983) and Collette (1986) provided a regional treatment of the family in South African waters. Comprehensive revisions have been published for the genera Auxis (Collette & Aadland 1996), Grammatorcynus (Collette & Gillis 1992), Sarda (Collette & Chao 1975) and Scomberomorus (Collette & Russo 1985a). Most Australian species are treated in Collette (2001).

Relationships of various groups are treated by Collette et al. (1984), Collette & Russo (1985b) (Scomberomorus) and Scoles et al. (1998) (Scomber). Collette et al. (2001) revised the overall classification, based on morphology and molecular data.

Biology and fishing information is found in Pepperell (2010).

 

General References

Block, B.A. & Stevens, E.D. (eds) 2001. Tuna: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution. Fish Physiology. London : Academic Press Vol. 19 468 pp.

Bray, D.J., Hoese, D.F. & Paxton, J.R. 2006. Scombridae. pp. 1767-1778 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1767]

Collette, B.B. 1986. Family No. 249: Scombridae. pp. 831-838, 20 figs in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.

Collette, B.B. 1999. Mackerels, molecules, and morphology. pp. 149-164 in Séret, B. & Sire, J.-Y (eds). Proceedings of the 5th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference. Nouméa, 3-8 November 1997. Paris : Société Française d'Ichtyologie 888 pp.

Collette, B.B. 2001. Scombridae. pp. 3721-3756 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.

Collette, B.B. 2003. Family Scombridae Rafinesque 1815 -- mackerels, tunas, and bonitos. California Academy of Sciences Annotated Checklists of Fishes 19: 1-28

Collette, B.B., Potthoff, T., Richards, W.J., Ueyanagi, S., Russo, J.L. & Nishikawa, Y. 1984. Scombroidei: development and relationships. pp. 591-620 in Moser, H.G. et al. (eds). Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Special Publication 1: 1-760

Collette, B.B., Reeb, C. & Block, B.A. 2001. Systematics of the tunas and mackerels (Scombridae). pp. 1-33 in Block, B.A. & Stevens, E.D. (eds). Tuna: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution. Fish Physiology. London : Academic Press Vol. 19 468 pp.

Collette, B.B. & Aadland, C.R. 1996. Revision of the frigate tunas (Scombridae, Auxis), with descriptions of two new subspecies from the eastern Pacific. Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 94(3): 423-441 figs 1-13

Collette, B.B. & Chao, L.N. 1975. Systematics and morphology of the bonitos (Sarda) and their relatives (Scombridae, Sardini). Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 73(3): 516-625 figs 1-70

Collette, B.B. & Gillis, G.B. 1992. Morphology, systematics, and biology of the double-lined mackerels (Grammatorcynus, Scombridae). Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 90: 13-53, 27 figs

Collette, B.B. & Nauen, C.E. 1983. FAO species catalogue. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of tunas, mackerels, bonitos and related species known to date. Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 2. Rome : FAO. 137 pp. 81 figs

Collette, B.B. & Russo, J.L. 1985a. Morphology, systematics, and biology of the Spanish mackerels (Scomberomorus, Scombridae). Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 82: 545-692, 70 figs

Collette, B.B. & Russo, J.L. 1985b. Interrelationships of the spanish mackerels (Pisces: Scombridae: Scomberomorus) and their copepod parasites. Cladistics 1(2): 151-158, figs 1-15

Kailola, P.J., Williams, M.J., Stewart, P.C., Reichelt, R.E., McNee, A. & Grieve, C. 1993. Australian Fisheries Resources. Canberra : Bureau of Resource Sciences and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation 422 pp.

Pepperell, J. 2010. Fishes of the Open Ocean a Natural History & Illustrated Guide. Sydney : University of New South Wales Press Ltd 266 pp.

Rüppell, W.P.E. 1830. Atlas zu der Reise im nördlichen Afrika. Fische des Rothen Meeres. 3. Frankfurt : H.L. Brünner 95-141 pls 25-35. [pl. 25]

Scoles, D.R., Collette, B.B. & Graves, J.E. 1998. Global phylogeography of mackerels of the genus Scomber. Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 96: 828-842

 

Common Name References

Collette, B.B. 2001. Scombridae. pp. 3721-3756 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218. [3721] (Albacore, Bonitos, Mackerels, Seerfishes, Tunas, Wahoo)

Whitley, G.P. 1948. A list of the fishes of Western Australia. Western Australia Fish Department. Fisheries Bulletin 2: 1-35 map [17] (Pike, Snook)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
15-May-2013		15-May-2013	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)