Scombridae is the family of the mackerels, tunas, and bonitos, and thus includes many of the most important and familiar food fishes. The family consists of about 55 species in 15 genera and 2 subfamilies. All species are Scombrinae, except Butterfly kingfish - which is the sole member of subfamily Gasterochismatinae.
Scombrids have two dorsal fins, and a series of finlets between the rear dorsal fin and behind the anal fin. The caudal fin is strongly divided and ridgid, with a slender, ridged, base. The first (spiny) dorsal fin and the pelvic fins are normally retracted into body grooves. Species length varys from the 20 cm length of the island mackerel to the 458 cm recorded for the immense northern bluefin tuna.
Scombrids are generally predators of the open ocean, and capable of considerable speed.
Some members of the family, in particular the tunas, are notable for being endothermic (warm-blooded).
Jordan, Evermann and Clark (1930) divide these fishes into the four families Cybiidae, Katsuwonidae, Scombridae, and Thunnidae,[1] but this article follows FishBase in placing them in the single family Scombridae.[2]
Upon winning the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee, champion Evan M. O'Dorney appeared on CNN with Kiran Chetry. Chetry challenged the boy to spell the word "Scombridae," and O'Dorney failed in his attempt, citing a supposed mispronunciation as cause of his failure. Since then, the video has surfaced online, becoming something of an internet fad and introducing the word Scombridae into mainstream vernacular.
