🌊 Saltwater

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus thynnus

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the ocean's most magnificent creatures — a warm-blooded, highly migratory predator that can reach 10 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds. Built for speed, with a streamlined body and crescent-shaped tail, it can swim at 43 mph. Bluefin tuna are highly valued in the sushi market — a single fish sold at auction for over $3.1 million in Japan.

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Typical Size
Up to 10 feet (3m) or more
⚖️
Weight
200–1,000 lbs (90–450 kg); record over 1,496 lbs (679 kg)
⏳
Lifespan
Up to 35 years
💧
Water Type
Saltwater

🗺️ Habitat

Open ocean of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Highly migratory, crossing entire ocean basins. Spawns in the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea.

🔍 How to Identify Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

  • 1Very large, torpedo-shaped body with metallic blue-black back
  • 2Silver-white belly with colorless spots and lines
  • 3Short pectoral fins that do not reach the second dorsal fin (unlike albacore)
  • 4Yellow finlets between second dorsal fin and tail
  • 5Crescent-shaped tail for high-speed swimming

🍽️ Diet

Mackerel, herring, bluefish, sand lance, squid, and other schooling fish and invertebrates

💡 Fun Facts About Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

  • ★Atlantic bluefin tuna are warm-blooded — they can maintain body temperature above the surrounding water
  • ★A single bluefin tuna sold at Tokyo's Toyosu Market for ¥333.6 million ($3.1 million) in 2019
  • ★Bluefin tuna can migrate the entire width of the Atlantic Ocean in 60 days
  • ★Their eyes can detect motion in near-total darkness, making them highly effective hunters
  • ★Bluefin tuna must keep swimming to breathe — they cannot stop or they will suffocate

🛡️ Conservation Status

Least Concern (Eastern Atlantic); population recovering from significant overfishing in the late 20th century

🔗 Related Species

Yellowfin TunaWahoo

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How to Identify Fish: A Beginner's GuideMost Common Freshwater Fish in North America← Back to All Fish Species