Pacific Ocean

Pacific Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga), also known as Albacore, Germon, Longfinned Tuna, Albecor, Ahipalaha, Tombo; weight – 36 kg (80 lb); length – 119 cm (47 in); lifespan – 10 to 12 years. Albacore Tuna are metallic, dark blue on the back with dusky to silvery white coloration along the sides of the belly. Albacore can swim at speeds exceeding 80 km/h (50 mph) and cover vast areas during annual migrations. Albacore are top carnivores, preying on schooling stocks such as sardine, anchovy, and squid. They eat an enormous amount of food to fuel their high metabolism, sometimes consuming as much as 25% of their own weight every day. Albacore Tuna are found in tropical and warm temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Image courtesy of NOAA.