Bony fish · Scombriformes · Scombridae

Atlantic Bonito

Sarda sarda

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

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It makes mass seasonal migrations from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean specifically to breed.

Weight

up to 11 kg

Size

up to 91.4 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

School

Gathers in coordinated schools, typical of fish.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanCarnivore Diurnal In schools Fish Ocean

55countries 35parks 78dive sites 1ecological relationships7same family

Fun facts

It eats shoaling pelagic fish such as mackerel, sardine and anchovy, along with squid.
It lives in temperate and subtropical epipelagic coastal waters of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
It releases between 400,000 and 500,000 eggs in open water over the summer.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (fish)
Habitat & environment: Temperate and subtropical epipelagic coastal waters of the eastern and western Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
Birth weight: Pelagic larva after hatching from the egg
Size at birth: Pelagic larva at hatching
Sexual maturity: ~2 years
Litter / clutch size: 400,000 to 500,000 eggs released in open water over the summer

Sources consulted: ResearchGate; Institute of Marine Research Norway; A-Z Animals; California Sea Grant; Fishipedia; Allfishes.org; Grokipedia; FishBase