# Skipjack tuna (*Katsuwonus pelamis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/skipjack-tuna  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is a bony fish in the family Scombridae, subfamily Scombrinae, within the order Scombriformes. It is also called Aku, Stripy, Skipper, Stripey and Skipjack, and its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758). Its main foods are cephalopod, fish and mollusca. The IUCN Red List assesses the skipjack tuna globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | up to 1.1 m |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | cephalopod, fish, mollusca |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Scombriformes
- family: Scombridae
- genus: Katsuwonus
- species: *Katsuwonus pelamis* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Euthynnus pelamis*, *Euthynnus pelamys*, *Gymnosarda pelamis*, *Gymnosarda pelamys*, *Katsowonus pelamis*, *Katsuwinus pelamis*, *Katsuwonis pelamis*, *Katsuwonnus pelamis*, *Katsuwonus pelamsi*, *Katsuwonus pelamys*, *Katsuwonus vagans*, *Katuswonis pelamis*, *Orcynus pelamis*, *Orcynus pelamys*, *Scomber pelamides*, *Scomber pelamis*, *Scomber pelamys*, *Thinnus pelamis*, *Thunnus pelamys*, *Thynnus pelamis*, *Thynnus pelamys*, *Thynnus vagans*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the skipjack tuna?

The skipjack tuna is a bony fish in the family Scombridae and the order Scombriformes.

### What does the skipjack tuna eat?

Its main foods are cephalopod, fish and mollusca.

### Is the skipjack tuna endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

### What is the scientific name of the skipjack tuna?

Its scientific name is Katsuwonus pelamis, placed in the genus Katsuwonus.

### What other names does the skipjack tuna have?

Other English names are Aku, Stripy, Skipper, Stripey and Skipjack.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/skipjack-tuna