Striped marlin
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The striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) is a species of marlin found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a large commercial game fish with a record weight (at 1982) of 190 kilogrammes, and a maximum length of 420 centimetres.
The striped marlin's body is metallic blue-black above, and silvery below, with 15 to 20 narrow lavender vertical stripes. The upper jaw is extended to form a sword-like bill which makes up about 17% of the total length. The fins are dark blue-black. The front of the first dorsal fin is high, reducing rapidly to a much lower fin which continues almost to the second dorsal fin which is set well back. The long scythe-like pectoral fins can be folded back flat against the body, and the pelvic fins are each reduced to a single elongate ray. There are 2 strengthening keels on the caudal peduncle.
Striped marlins primarily feed on cephalopods and fish, especially tuna, which they stun and kill with side to side slashing movements of their bill.
Sources
- "[Tetrapturus audax]." FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
References
- [Tetrapturus audax (TSN 172504)]. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 19 March 2006.
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