Skipjack Tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis · kat-soo-WOH-nus PEL-a-mis
diurnalschoolsLeast Concern
EdibleUnfriendly
Superpower
Forms vast fast-moving schools that can swirl into shimmering bait-balls.
At a glance
- Size
- typically 50 cm, up to 110 cm
- Lifespan
- 6–12 years
- Depth
- 0–260 m
Habitat
Warm open ocean worldwide.
Diet
Fish, squid, crustaceans and plankton.
Can I eat it?
Yes — edible · tastiness 7/10.
How to cook: Canned tuna, dried, or grilled; the everyday 'gulyasan/tulingan'.
Fun facts
- Skipjack is the most heavily fished tuna and the mainstay of canned tuna.
- It must keep swimming to breathe, never truly stopping.
- Schools can number in the tens of thousands.