Skipjack tuna important prey species for sharks and large pelagic fishes and is often used as live bait when fishing for Marlin. It has no scales, except on the lateral line and the corselet (a band of large, thick scales forming a circle around the body behind the head). It commonly reaches fork lengths up to and a weight of . Its maximum fork length is and maximum weight is . Ageing skipjack tuna is difficult, and the estimates of its potential lifespan range between 8 and 12 years. Skipjack tuna is a batch spawner. Spawning occurs year-round in equatorial waters, but
HMS Skipjack (1808) HMS Skipjack (1808) HMS "Skipjack" was the French privateer schooner "Confiance", launched in 1800 at Baltimore. The Royal Navy captured her in 1808 and took her into service. She then participated in the capture of Guadeloupe in 1810. She was paid off in 1811 and broken up in 1812. The French armed "Confiance" at Guadeloupe in October 1806. Though pierced for 16 guns, she carried fewer. On 12 December 1807, "Confiance", of seven guns and 90 men, captured the packet "Duke of Montrose" after an engagement that lasted three and a half hours. "Duke of Montrose" did not strike until