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245659

First record of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) from Dahab in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt

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Last updated: 01 Jan 2025

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Abstract

The present study describes the first record of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758), from Dahab on the west coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, northern Red Sea. In the field, marine biologists photographed fish specimens and recorded the morphometric parameters for identification. Purse seines, line gear and longlines were the main fishing methods used to collect this fish. The skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, is a member of Family: Scombridae and it was first observed in Dahab (Gulf of Aqaba, northern Red Sea) following its first detection in October 2021 by artisanal Bedouin fishermen at the start of the cooling trend of sea temperature in the region. The fish specimens were described, and their morphometric and meristic characteristics were investigated. This fish migrates from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea via the narrow Strait of Bab El-Mandab. This migration is a new route for this fish species and it has been recorded for the first time in the Red Sea. The skipjack tuna is chiefly a scavenger, consuming a variety of creatures with different percentages. According to our findings, small fish (Atherinomorus lacunosus) is the most dominant and preferred food item consumed by K. pelamis, accounting for 79% of the total consumption of food items. In conclusion, the first sighting of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, an epipelagic oceanic fish species in Egypt's Gulf of Aqaba, occurred in October 2021.

DOI

10.21608/ejabf.2022.245659

Keywords

Skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Dahab, Stomach content

Authors

First Name

Moharam A.M.

Last Name

Afifi et al.

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Volume

26

Article Issue

3

Related Issue

33860

Issue Date

2022-05-01

Receive Date

2022-06-23

Publish Date

2022-05-01

Page Start

699

Page End

710

Print ISSN

1110-6131

Online ISSN

2536-9814

Link

https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/article_245659.html

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https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=245659

Order

40

Type

Original Article

Type Code

103

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries

Publication Link

https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

First record of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) from Dahab in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023