310 likes | 722 Views
The bluefin tuna. By Zach Yates. R elations. What the bluefins closest relatives are…. Kingdom Phylum etc……………………. Kingdom ( animilia ) Phylum ( chordata ) Class ( actinopterygii ) Order ( perciformes ) Family ( scombridae ) Genus ( Thunnus )
E N D
The bluefin tuna By Zach Yates
Relations • What the bluefins closest relatives are…..
Kingdom Phylum etc…………………….. • Kingdom ( animilia ) • Phylum ( chordata ) • Class ( actinopterygii ) • Order ( perciformes ) • Family ( scombridae ) • Genus ( Thunnus ) • Species (maccoyii ) ( orentalis ), or ( thynus ). • There are many types of tuna, even three types of bluefin tuna. They are on the next slide.
Types of bluefin • 1) The Pacific bluefin ( Thunnus orentalis ) (above ) • 2) The Atlantic bluefin ( Thunnus thynus ) • 3) The Southern bluefin ( Thunnus maccoyii ) (below)
Physical characteristics • There is no difference between the three types of bluefin, nor male and female, but here are some of their characteristics. • Caudal - the part of the tuna that connects its tailfin to its body.
Distribution • The bluefin tuna is distributed all over the world with more than 80,000 tons being brought to fish markets every year.
Habitat • The bluefin tuna lives near the equator, but is most common near Mexico and California.
Conservation status • The pacific bluefin (Thunnus orentalis ) is of least concern and increasing, while the other species however are not doing well at all. • The southern bluefin ( Thunnus maccoyii ) is the most endangered of all three bluefin tuna. It is critically endangered and decreasing. • The Atlantic bluefin ( Thunnus thynus ) is also endangered and decreasing, but not as much as the southern bluefin.
Reproductive characteristics • The bluefin tuna spawns when they are around seven to ten years old.They gather in big packs of 200 to 300 tuna to spawn. • They lay about 3 million eggs a year, but only 1% of those eggs survive due to natural preditors.
Parental care • The bluefin tuna leaves its eggs right after it lays them. • Neither parents take care of the eggs.
Longevity and mortality • The bluefin tuna lives up to 15 years in the wild ( although the record is up to 50 years ). • Bluefin tuna do not die of old age in captivity, they are usually slaughtered, frozen, and sent to fish markets for a decent pay.
Seasonal patterns • The Atlantic bluefin tuna’s patterns are through the Atlantic ocean.
Seasonal patterns • Southern bluefins patterns are all through Australian waters
Seasonal patterns • The pacific bluefin migrates through Californian and Mexican waters.
Seasonal patterns • The bluefin tuna does not hibernate or undergo torpor
Diet • The bluefin tuna feeds on squid, Fish, and other vertebrates and Invertebrates.
Predator relationships • The bluefin tuna’s predators are mostly sharks and people. • The sharks pose no threat to the tuna though.
Human relationships • Humans pose the biggest threat to the bluefin tuna, over fishing and caging have brought this fish down to less than 50% of what it used to be in the 1950’s.
Fun facts!!!!!! • Did you know……. • Mitsubishi owns more than half of the bluefin fishing companies. • The bluefin can cross the Atlantic ocean in less than 60 days. • they have 2 types of muscle for cruising and having long darts of speed to catch prey. • They are warm blooded. • They can obtain a speed of 45 mph. • The bluefin tuna has the longest migration of any animal on the planet.
Works cited • www.plosone.org • www.arkive.org • www.iucnredlist.org/ • www.sciencedirect.com • www.gtopp.org
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT1EL9kpel4