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Bonito

Bonito

Medium-sized predatory fish in the mackerel and tuna family

Bonitos are a tribe of eight medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish within the Scombridae family. They share this group with mackerels, tunas, and Spanish mackerels. These fish closely resemble skipjack tuna and are found in various oceans. Their firm, dark meat is used for food, canning, and traditional flakes.

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  • Tribe Sardini includes eight species in four genera
  • Meat is used as a cheap substitute for skipjack tuna
  • Atlantic bonito is eaten grilled or pickled in Mediterranean
  • Shares family Scombridae with mackerels and tunas
  • Young bonito flesh is light and close to skipjack colour

What it is

Bonitos form a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned fish known as Sardini. They belong to the Scombridae family, which also includes mackerels, tunas, and Spanish mackerels. This group contains eight species spread across four genera. Three of these genera hold only one species each. Bonitos look very similar to skipjack tuna, a fish often called bonito in Japan. Their bodies are built for speed and predation in open waters.

Where it lives

These fish inhabit several major water bodies. The Atlantic bonito lives in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. Other species are found in the Pacific Ocean, including the Eastern Pacific and Australian regions. They are marine fish that thrive in coastal and oceanic environments. Their distribution covers temperate and tropical zones where their prey is abundant.

How it lives

Bonitos are active predators. They hunt other fish and marine organisms in their environment. Their streamlined shape allows them to chase down prey efficiently. While specific dietary details vary by species, they all share a carnivorous nature. They often swim in schools, a common behaviour among members of the mackerel and tuna family. This social structure helps them hunt and avoid larger predators.

Fish and people

The meat of Pacific and Atlantic bonitos is firm and darkish with moderate fat. Young or small individuals have lighter flesh, resembling skipjack tuna. This makes them a cheaper substitute for skipjack in canning. They are also used to produce inexpensive katsuobushi, or bonito flakes. In the Mediterranean and Black Seas, Atlantic bonito is a popular food fish. People eat it grilled, pickled as lakerda, or baked. Regulations prevent marketing it as tuna in some countries.

Questions people ask about Bonito

What family do bonitos belong to?

Bonitos are part of the Scombridae family. This large family also includes mackerels, tunas, Spanish mackerels, and the butterfly kingfish. They share many physical and behavioural traits with these relatives.

Can you eat bonito?

Yes, bonito is a popular food fish. Its meat is firm and dark. It is eaten grilled, baked, or pickled in regions like the Mediterranean. It is also canned and used to make bonito flakes.

Is bonito the same as tuna?

No, but they are related. Bonitos resemble skipjack tuna closely. In some places, skipjack is called bonito. However, regulations in many countries prohibit selling bonito under the name tuna.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Bonito", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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