Euthynnus alletteratus (Rafinesque, 1810)

Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, Anthropozoologica 56 (2), pp. 23-37 : 28

Euthynnus alletteratus (Rafinesque, 1810) –

Little tunny, Black skipjack, τοννάϗι/ϗαρβούνι

The little tunny is a schooling migratory fish, which is found all over the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It occurs in inshore waters, but occasionally it can be found in offshore waters too. In the Mediterranean, it can reach a maximum length of about 1 m and a maximum weight of 12 kg, but its common length is 85 cm ( Valeiras & Abad 2006c). In the northern Aegean and on the north coast of Cyprus it is generally smaller, with sizes and weights most commonly ranging from 45-80 cm and 2.5-7 kg respectively ( Kahraman 2005). Little is known on the migration of this species. In the Mediterranean, spawning takes place from May to July. It is caught by coastal fisheries, often artisanal, from February to June ( Valeiras & Abad 2006c). Fishing efforts in eastern Mediterranean (Aegean and Cyprus) peak in April and May ( Kahraman 2005). Its flesh is suitable for preservation (e.g., salting, canning) and it is often used as a substitute for the pelamid ( Katsuwonus pelamis Linnaeus, 1758 ) ( Papanastasiou 1976: 499, 500).