Ecology Summary - Thunnus thynnus

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Main Ref.	Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen, 1983
Remarks	Bluefin tuna are highly migratory, fast swimmers capable of attaining speeds over 90 km / h (Ref. 88852), moving between cooler feeding grounds and warmer spawning areas (Ref. 88823). Trans-Atlantic movements related to feeding have been reported; juveniles originating from the Mediterranean Sea found in foraging grounds in the eastern coast of the USA (88870), conversely, juveniles originating from the western Atlantic have been found in foraging grounds in the central North Atlantic (88868). Variations in the food spectrum are attributed primarily to behavioral differences in feeding: 'vigorous pursuit' would be required on small schooling fishes (anchovies, sauries, hakes) or on squids, while 'modified filter-feeding' is used to feed on red crabs and other less agile organisms (Ref. 168). Preyed upon by killer whales, Orcinus orca; mako sharks and pilot whales, Globicephala melaena. Parasites found were Hirundinella ventricosa, Hysterothylacium adunca, Hysterothylacium incurvum, Hysterothylacium reliquens, Anisakis simplex, Genitocotyle atlantica, Derogenes varicans, Caligus coryphaenae and Rhapidascaris camura (Ref. 5951).

Main Ref.

Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen, 1983

Remarks

Bluefin tuna are highly migratory, fast swimmers capable of attaining speeds over 90 km / h (Ref. 88852), moving between cooler feeding grounds and warmer spawning areas (Ref. 88823). Trans-Atlantic movements related to feeding have been reported; juveniles originating from the Mediterranean Sea found in foraging grounds in the eastern coast of the USA (88870), conversely, juveniles originating from the western Atlantic have been found in foraging grounds in the central North Atlantic (88868). Variations in the food spectrum are attributed primarily to behavioral differences in feeding: 'vigorous pursuit' would be required on small schooling fishes (anchovies, sauries, hakes) or on squids, while 'modified filter-feeding' is used to feed on red crabs and other less agile organisms (Ref. 168). Preyed upon by killer whales, Orcinus orca; mako sharks and pilot whales, Globicephala melaena. Parasites found were Hirundinella ventricosa, Hysterothylacium adunca, Hysterothylacium incurvum, Hysterothylacium reliquens, Anisakis simplex, Genitocotyle atlantica, Derogenes varicans, Caligus coryphaenae and Rhapidascaris camura (Ref. 5951).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Thunnus thynnus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen, 1983
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	Original sample		Unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	4.45	0.75	4.59	0.87	Troph of juv./adults from 1 study.
From individual food items	4.21	0.80			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Pinkas, L., 1971

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