- bonito
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/beuh nee"toh/, n., pl. (esp. collectively) bonito, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) bonitos.1. any mackerellike fish of the genus Sarda, as S. sarda, of the Atlantic Ocean.2. any of several related species, as the skipjack, Euthynnus pelamis.[1590-1600; < Sp < Ar bainith]
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Bonitos, found worldwide, have a striped back and silvery belly and grow to about 30 in. (75 cm) long. Like tunas, they are streamlined, with a narrow tail base, a forked tail, and a row of small finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins. Bonitos have both commercial and sporting value. The three generally recognized species are found in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the Indo-Pacific, and the Pacific.* * *
▪ fish(Sarda), tuna-like, schooling fish of the tuna and mackerel family, Scombridae (order Perciformes). Bonitos are swift, predacious fishes found worldwide. They have striped backs and silvery bellies and grow to a length of about 75 centimetres (30 inches). Like tunas, they are streamlined, with a narrow tail base, a forked tail, and a row of small finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins. Bonitos are of both commercial and sporting value. Four species are generally recognized: S. sarda of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, S. orientalis of the Indo-Pacific, S. chilensis of the eastern Pacific, and S. australis of Australia and New Zealand.The leaping bonito (Cybiosarda elegans) is a related Indo-Pacific food and sport fish. The oceanic bonito is the skipjack tuna (see tuna).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
