Binomial name:Sarda sarda
Family: Scombridae
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scombriformes
Genus: Sarda
Species: S. sarda
Synonyms:
*Scomber sarda Bloch, 1793
*Palamita sarda (Bloch, 1793)
*Pelamis sarda (Bloch, 1793)
*Pelamys sarda (Bloch, 1793)
*Thynnus sardus (Bloch, 1793)
*Sarda pelamis (Brünnich, 1768)
*Scomber mediterraneus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
Common Names: Atlantic bonito or Sarda sarda
Habitat: Atlantic bonito is common in shallow waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea, where it is an important commercial and game fish.
Normally, it travels in fairly large schools and is common offshore in the vicinity of New York City, where it is known as “skipjack” because of its habit of jumping from the water. (However, the name “skipjack” more commonly refers to the skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis.) The spawning season is June, and specimens 12–15 centimetres (4.7–5.9 in) long are taken in September off Long Island.
Description:
Atlantic bonito is a large mackerel-like fish of the family Scombridae. It belongs to a group which have the dorsal fins very near, or separated by a narrow interspace. Its body is completely scaled, with those scales in the pectoral fin area and the lateral line usually larger in size. Bonitos (fishes in the genus Sarda) differ from tuna by their compressed bodies, their lack of teeth on the roof of the mouth, and certain differences in colouration.
The Atlantic bonito can grow up to 12 pounds and 30 inches long. They are mainly silver with blue-green dorsal fins and black stripes along the body.
The Atlantic bonito has the same body shape as the tuna species. The only difference is that Atlantic bonito are skinnier than tuna. The Atlantic bonito has small, sharp teeth, as well as short pectoral fins. They have finlets behind the anal fin that stabilize the fish when swimming.
Atlantic bonito share Atlantic waters with the striped bonito, Sarda orientalis (the Atlantic population of which is sometimes considered a separate species, Sarda velox). The striped bonito has been taken on the Atlantic coast as far north as Cape Cod. It is similar in its habits, but somewhat smaller than the more common Atlantic bonito. The Atlantic bonito can be distinguished from its relative by its dark oblique stripes on the back and with a maxillary only about half as long as the head, whereas the striped bonito has striping on its topside nearly horizontal and a maxillary more than half the length of the head.
The world record, 18 pounds 4 ounces (8.3 kg), was caught in the Azores. It eats mackerel, menhaden, alewives, silversides, sand lances, and other fishes, as well as squid.
Edible Uses: ….CLICK & SEE
Bonito is a popular food fish in the Mediterranean; its flesh is similar to tuna and mackerel, and its size is intermediate between the two.
Bonito under 1 kg (2.2 lb) or so (called palamut ~ ??????? in Bulgarian) are often grilled as steaks. Larger bonito (torik in Turkish) are cut into steaks and preserved as lakerda. Bonito is also canned, but canned bonito del norte (Spanish) is not bonito, but albacore tuna.
In Algeria and Spain, it is often prepared as escabeche, which preserves it for about a week. Bonito may also be baked and served cold.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_bonito
