Frigate tuna
Auxis thazard
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Frigate tuna
- Scientific
- Auxis thazard
- Dhivehi
- ރާގޮނޑިRaagondi
- Maximum size
- Up to about 65 cm (fork length); commonly 60 cm; max. published weight 1.7 kg (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives common to 35 cm; max. 58 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Open water over reefs and the atoll shelf
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2022
Description
A small, torpedo-shaped tuna, bluish above with 15 or more narrow, wavy, oblique dark lines on the scaleless part of the back and silvery white below. It forms large schools in coastal and oceanic waters, feeding on small fish, squid and crustacean larvae, and is itself important food for larger tunas and billfish.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi name raagondi (MRS 1997). MRS notes it is the third most important species in the Maldivian tuna catch after skipjack and yellowfin, caught mainly by pole and line and trolling.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Auxis-thazard.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ރާގޮނޑި
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Auxis_thazard_thazard_(frigate_tuna).gif
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Raagondi' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article '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.