Bonito
Atlantic bonito, Sarda sarda
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Scombridae
Tribe:	Sardini
Genus:	Sarda Plumier in Lacepède, 1802

Bonito is a name given to various species of medium-sized, predatory fish in the Scombridae family. First, bonito most commonly refers to species in the genus Sarda, including the Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) and the Pacific bonito (Sarda chiliensis lineolata); second, in Japanese cuisine, bonito refers to the skipjack tuna (a species of mackerel) (Katsuwonus pelamis), which, in Japan, is called by its local name, katsuo; and, third, bonito can generally refer to any of various scombroid fish of the mackerel family, and related to, but smaller than, tuna.

Katsuo is used extensively in Japanese cuisine. Aside from its prevalence as in raw preparation (e.g. sushi and sashimi), it is also smoked and dried to make katsuobushi, an important ingredient in dashi (a type of common Japanese fish stock). It is also a key ingredient in shiokara.

Pacific and Atlantic bonito meat has a firm texture and a darkish color. The bonito has a moderate fat content. The meat of young or small bonito can be of lighter color, close to that of skipjack tuna, and is sometimes used as a cheaper substitute of skipjack, especially for canning purposes. Bonito may not be marketed as tuna in all countries, however. In Spain, tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is sometimes referred as Bonito del Norte.

Atlantic bonito [link]

The Atlantic bonito is also found in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where it is a popular food fish, eaten grilled, pickled (lakerda), or baked.

Species [link]

• Australian bonito, Sarda australis (Macleay, 1881).
• Sarda chiliensis (Cuvier, 1832).
  • Eastern Pacific bonito, Sarda chiliensis chiliensis (Cuvier, 1832).
  • Pacific bonito, Sarda chiliensis lineolata (Girard, 1858).
• Striped bonito, Sarda orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844).
• Atlantic bonito, Sarda sarda (Bloch, 1793).

References [link]

• Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). Species of Sarda in FishBase. March 2006 version.