The Tunas, Bonitos, and Mackerels (Scombridae): The tunas of the Scombridae Family are well-known fishes that form the basis of valuable commercial and recreational fisheries throughout the world, with five to six million tons collected annually.

All Scombridae are powerful swimmers and are known for long annual migrations. They are characterized by having two dorsal fins that fold into grooves, a distinct finlet behind the anal and dorsal fins, pelvic fins with six rays located below the pectoral fins, two small keels on each side where the main body meets the tail section (and at times with a large keel in between), and some are even warm-blooded maintaining body temperatures several degrees warmer than the surrounding sea.

At present there are 49 species of Scombridae known globally.

Members of the Tuna, Bonito, and Mackerel Family represented in the photo identification section of this website include: the Albacore, Thunnus alalunga; Bigeye or Bigeye Tuna, Thunnus obesus; Black Skipjack or Mexican Little Tunny, Euthynnus lineatus; Bluefin Tuna, Bluefin or Giant Tuna, Thunnus thynnus; Bullet Tuna or Bullet Mackerel, Auxis rochei eudorax; Eastern Pacific Bonito, Sarda chilensis lineolata; Frigate Tuna or Frigate Mackerel, Auxis thazard brachydorax; Gulf Sierra or Monterey Spanish Mackerel, Scomberomorus concolor; King Mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla; Mexican Bonito or Striped Bonito, Sarda orientalis; Pacific Mackerel or Chub Mackerel, Scomber japonicus; Skipjack Tuna, Skipjack, White Tuna or White Skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis; Sierra, Pacific Sierra or Sierra Mackerel, Scomberomorus sierra; Wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri; and Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares.