The Ecology, Morphology, and Comparative Biomechanics of Gymnosarda unicolor: A Most Contradictory Fish

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Gymnosarda unicolor, commonly known as the dogtooth tuna, is a relatively unknown member of the family Scombridae that inhabits the Indian and Pacific Oceans as far east as Tahiti (Silas 1963). Though it was originally identified as a true tuna, the fish's actual relationship with the genus Thunnus is unclear, in part because it leads such a different lifestyle from true tuna. Reports indicate that G. unicolor is a reef-dweller which inhabits shallow, warm waters close to the deep ocean drop-offs, though there are also reports that they occasionally school with other Scombrid species farther from shore (Silas 1963). Reports of specimens caught off the coast of India indicate that G. unicolor preys on squid and small fish near the drop-offs to deep ocean (Sivadas and Anasukoya 2005). Recorded average lengths have varied between 65 and 150 cm, and the maximum recorded length is 200 cm (Silas 1963, Sivadas and Anasukoya 2005). Analysis of gonads indicate that G. unicolor reaches maturity when somewhere in the range of 64 to 70 cm (Sivadas and Anasukoya 2005). Even its classification has been under debate: the dogtooth has been classified alternately by a series of biologists in the genera Thynnus, Pelamys, Scomber, and finally Gymnosarda (Silas 1963). Only a handful of studies since 1960 have examined this unique fish, leaving knowledge of it limited and often confused.

Type of resource	text
Date created	June 6, 2009

Author	Brewer, Jared
Author	Burg, Joseph

Subject	Stanford@SEA
Subject	S-223
Subject	Hopkins Marine Station
Subject	Department of Biology
Subject	Department of Earth System Science
Subject	BIOHOPK 182H
Subject	BIOHOPK 323H
Subject	EARTHSYS 323
Subject	ESS 323
Subject	Gymnosarda
Subject	unicolor
Subject	dogtooth
Subject	tuna
Subject	Scombridae
Subject	Indian Ocean
Subject	Pacific Ocean
Subject	Tahiti
Subject	Thunnus
Subject	Ecology
Subject	Morphology
Subject	Biomechanics
Genre	Student project report

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/mt383sb2445

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License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).

Preferred Citation: Brewer, Jared & Burg, Joseph. 2009. The Ecology, Morphology, and Comparative Biomechanics of Gymnosarda unicolor: A Most Contradictory Fish. Unpublished Student Work, S-223, Stanford@SEA, Stanford Digital Repository. https://purl.stanford.edu/mt383sb2445.

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