any of a variety of scombroid fishes of the genera
Sarda or
Euthynnus, with a size intermediate between those of the smaller mackerels and the tunas. It is applied especially to the
skipjack tuna (
Euthynnus pelamis, syn.
Katsuwonus pelamis, formerly
Sarda Mediterranea, also called
skipjack) of the Atlantic, an important and abundant food fish on the coast of the United States, and (
Sarda Chilensis) of the Pacific, and other related species. These are large and active fishes, of a blue color above and silver below, with black oblique stripes. [
1913 Webster]