Creatures that are found in several geographic locations often become known by more than one name. This can cause confusion, especially when the names sound similar, like the names for two distinct ocean fish: the mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) and the ahi(Thunnus albacares). Both fish live in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Although they are of similar size, the difference in their weight is significant. Mahi and ahi fish feature brilliant metallic colors, and both fish are highly sought after for sport fishing and commercial purposes. Let’s take a deep dive into what makes mahi and ahi different.
Overview: Mahi and Ahi
Mahis earned their English-language moniker, dolphinfish, because of their propensity to swim in front of boats, much like dolphins do.
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Mahi and ahi fish share the same domain, kingdom, phylum, and class, diverging at order. Mahi belong to the order Carangiformes, which includes large ray-finned fish, and the genus Coryphaena, the fish of which have compressed heads and a single dorsal fin that runs the length of the body. The Latin Coryphaena, meaning top or apex, combines with hippurus, Latin for fish or goldfish. Mahis are aggressive, predatory fish.
English gets the word mahi, which translates to very strong, from the Hawaiian language. The mahi is primarily known as mahi-mahi, common dolphinfish, dolphin fish, and dorado. The name mahi-mahi for the dolphinfish, as it is typically called in English, became a popular way to differentiate the mammal from the fish. Dolphinfish earned their moniker by leading boats as they sailed, similar to how dolphins engage in this practice.
Notably, mahi are not a species of tuna fish.
Ahi, the Hawaiian word fire, refers to two species of tuna found around the Hawaiian Islands: yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). The name ahi was given to the yellowfin and bigeye tuna by ancient Hawaiian fishermen who used handlines to catch them. The intense speed of a hooked, thrashing yellowfin or bigeye tuna would cause the line to rub with such friction against the canoe that it would smoke, creating a fiery effect.
Yellowfin tuna is an ocean-dwelling, ray-finned bony fish from the mackerel family, Scombridae. These fish have two dorsal fins, a series of finlets behind both the rear dorsal and anal fins, a strongly forked caudal fin, and retractable spiny dorsal and pelvic fins.
Size
Mahis are large fish, although they are significantly smaller than both species of tuna that ahi refers to. An average mahi grows to 2.5-4.5 feet in length and weighs between 15-30 pounds. Larger mahis have been caught, but these ranges are far more common. The term “ahi” describes two of the larger species of tuna found in the ocean. Yellowfin and bigeye tuna can grow to be up to 6 feet in length, with bigeye tuna reaching weights over 400 pounds and yellowfin tuna typically weighing less, though the largest recorded yellowfin was just over 400 pounds.
Appearance
Mahis feature a coloration gradient of bright or golden-yellow and greenish-blue.
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Dorado, the Spanish word for the fish, means gold or gold-colored. The golden yellow color stretches horizontally across their lower and middle body and gradually transitions to a neon greenish-blue stripe along their back and single dorsal fin. When they are caught, they change colors until their death, at which point their bodies turn a dull yellow. They are long fish with thick, blunt heads and slender bodies that taper toward the tail. Adult males have a square head, while females have a rounded head.
Yellowfin and bigeye tuna are often confused, as they are similar in size, shape, and coloring. However, there are also notable differences. Although they share a torpedo-shaped body and metallic dark blue on their back and upper sides, their belly colors are different. Yellowfins feature a yellow to silver belly, whereas the belly of bigeyes tends to be white.
Distribution
Mahi mahi or dolphinfish are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
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AAnywhere there is warm water, there are likely to be mahis or dolphinfish swimming beneath its waves. These tropical and subtropical fish are often caught around the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, Hawaii, and the Indian Ocean. The fast mahi usually hunts prey right at the surface of the water and rarely heads into deep waters.
Both species of ahi tuna, yellowfin and bigeye, are found in temperate waters worldwide and undertake large-scale migrations. Yellowfin tuna prefer warmer, shallower water in which to hunt and live. Bigeye tuna hunt in cold, deep water and generally reside in the deeper regions of the ocean. Their large eyes allow them to locate prey in darker waters.
Culinary Use
Both mahi and ahi are highly prized for their high-quality meat. Mahi steak and fillets are typically seared or grilled. Its meat is mild, non-fishy, and known to be nutritious and sweet. Although it can be consumed raw, mahi is not eaten this way nearly as frequently as ahi.
Both species of ahi are used in a variety of culinary applications. Yellowfin tuna is one of the most sought-after species of tuna and is served in steaks as well as in a number of sushi dishes. Its quality flesh has a high fat content, and yellowfin is an affordable tuna choice compared to the more expensive bluefin tuna.
While yellowfin tuna is more widely available and consumed in a greater variety of dishes globally, bigeye tuna is often considered the superior choice by sushi and sashimi connoisseurs due to its higher fat content and richer flavor.
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