Maldives Marine Life

Marine life of Maldivian waters

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Bullet tuna
No photo available
Photo: Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc; Cuvier, Georges; Valenciennes / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (view on Wikimedia Commons)Historical illustration. Source: Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc; Cuvier, Georges; Valenciennes; Commons file: Histoire naturelle des poissons (10438837603).jpg

Bullet tuna

Auxis rochei

Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).

English
Bullet tuna
Scientific
Auxis rochei
Dhivehi
ގެނބުރު ރާގޮނޑިGeburu raagondi
Group
Tunas and other pelagics
Family
Scombridae (tunas and mackerels)
Maximum size
Up to about 50 cm (fork length) (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives common to 30 cm; max. 50 cm
Depth and habitat
Open water over reefs and the atoll shelf; also enters brackish water
IUCN status
LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2022

Description

A small, round-bodied tuna, bluish above and purplish on the head, with about 15 broad dark bars on the scaleless part of the back and a white belly. It schools in coastal waters and around islands and feeds on small fish, crab larvae and squid.

In the Maldives

Dhivehi name geburu raagondi (MRS 1997). MRS notes it is rather rare in the Maldives, turning up occasionally among frigate tuna catches.

Sources

Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Geburu raagondi' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ގެނބުރު ރާގޮނޑި' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form. FishBase also lists 'Ragondi' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used.