| Synonyms
| | | | Auxis taso Commerson in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831 | | | Auxis tapeinosoma Bleeker, 1854 | | | Auxis thazard Dresslar & Fesler, 1889 | | | Auxis hira Kishinouye, 1915. In the belief that there was only a single worldwide species of Auxis, many authors have used the name A.thazard as including Auxis rochei. |
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| FAO Names | | En - Frigate tuna, Fr - Auxide, Sp - Melva. |
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3Alpha Code: FRI Taxonomic Code: 1750102301 |
| Scientific Name with Original Description | | | Scomber thazard Lacepède, 1800. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, 2:599 (New Guinea). |
| Diagnostic Features
| | | Pectoral fins short, but reaching past vertical line from anterior margin of scaleless area above corselet: corselet well developed and narrow in its posterior part (no more than 5 scales wide under second dorsal fin origin).
Colour: a pattern of 15 or more narrow, oblique to nearly horizontal, dark wavy lines in the scaleless area above lateral line.
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| Geographical Distribution | |
| | Probably cosmopolitan in warm waters but there are only a few documented occurrences in the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Habitat and Biology | | An epipelagic, neritic as well as oceanic species.
In the eastern Pacific, mature fish occur throughout the year, though off Costa Rica spawning is heaviest from December through April, while in Japanese waters it peaks in July as expressed by the index of sexual maturity (Yasul, 1975). In the southern Indian Ocean, the spawning season extends from August to April; north of the equator it is reported from January to April. Fecundity was estimated at about 1.37 million eggs per year in a 44.2 em long female. Fecundity of fish in Indian waters ranged between approximately 200 000 to 1.06 million eggs per spawning in correlation with size of females. For other pertinent information on the biology see generic section on Auxis
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| Size | | | Maximum fork length from driftnet records in the Indian Ocean is 51 cm, but off Sri Lanka it is 58 cm; the common size in catches ranges between 25 and 40 cm, but depends on the type of gear used, and may also vary seasonally and by region. Size at first maturity is reported at about 29 cm fork length in Japanese waters, but about 35 cm around Hawaii. The species grows larger than Auxis rochei . |
| Interest to Fisheries | | Catches of Auxis are usually not identified to species because of current problems in identification. It may, however, be assumed that the Pacific and Indian Ocean catches reported by Japan, the Philippines and the Maldives are predominantly A. thazard . In the period from 1977 to 1980 these catches almost doubled to 122 995 metric tons, particularly due to increased landings by the Philippines, but decreased to about 98 000 metric tons 1981 (FAO, 1983). The total catch in 1996 (Auxis rochei and A. thazard ) was 172 693 t. Mainly Philippines 88 969 t. No catch in 1999
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| Local Names | | | AUSTRALIA :
Frigate mackerel ,
Leadenall . |
| JAPAN :
Hiramejika ,
Hirasoda ,
Hirasodakatsuo ,
Oboso ,
Obosogatsuwo ,
Shibuwa ,
Soma ,
Suma (Hirasohda , Hiragatsuo , and Hiramedika are variations in spelling of some of the above names);. |
| USA :
Bullet mackerel ,
Frigate mackerel ,
Frigate tuna . |
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Bibliography Fischer & Whitehead , eds (1974, Species Identification Sheets, Eastern Indian Ocean/Western Central Pacific) Collette, 1978(Species Identification Sheets, Western Central Atlantic); 1981; 1981(Species Identification Sheets, Eastern Central Atlantic) Fitch & Roedel, 1963 Uchida, 1981For other local names and remarks see generic section. |
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