Billfish: Striped Marlin
Marlin and Sailfish are from the Istiophoridae family. There are 11 species of Marlin worldwide. They are strong and powerful surface fishes, targeted recreationally due to their impressive size and spectacular fight displays. Most species however, are currently declining in population due to overharvest by commercial and artisanal fisheries.
The Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax) has a dark blue body with a silvery-white underside, with high first dorsal fin that normally equals or exceeds the greatest body depth. The pectoral fins are pointed and can easily be folded against the sides of its body. There are about 20 cobalt blue bars on the sides that do not extend onto the belly. It can grow to a maximum of 4.2 m total length. The all-tackle game fish record is of a 224.1 kg fish caught off Tutukaka, New Zealand in 1986 (IGFA 2021).
Striped marlin are widely distributed pelagic and oceanodromous species in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Preferring water temperatures between 20°C and 24°C, they move toward the equator during the cold season and away again during the warm season. They are strongly oceanic and rarely enter coastal water; only where deep drop-offs occur. They spent most of their time close to the surface of the ocean. They are mostly solitary, but will form small schools during spawning season. Highly predatory, they feed on a wide variety of fishes, crustaceans, and squids.
Other names for the fish:
Abanico, Aburakajiki, Acura imperiale, Aguggha imperiali, Agugghia 'mpiriale, Aguglia imperiale, Aguglia impériale, Aguglia imperiale mediterranea, Aguglia pelerana, Aguja, Aguja azul, Aguja azul del Atlantico, Aguja azul del Indo Pac, Aguja azul del Indo-Pacifico, Aguja blanca, Aguja blanca del Alántico, Aguja blanca del Atlántico, Aguja casta, Aguja de casta, Aguja de costa, Aguja de paladar, Aguja del Pacífico, Aguja negra, Aguja picuda, Agujón, Agulha, Agulhão, Agulhão branca, Agulhão branco, Agulhão estilete, Agulhao preto, Agulhão preto, Agulhão-azul, Agulhão-branco, Agulhão-estilete, Agulhão-marli, Agulhão-negro, Agulhão-prata, Agulhão-roliço, Ahin koppara, Alfiler, Alton, Altón, Androaro, Atlantic blue marlin, Atlantic longbill spearfish, Atlantic white marlin, Atlantisk blå marlin, Atum, A'u, Augghia 'mperiali, Augghia peddirina, Augghia pilligrina, Auggia imbriale, Auglia 'mperiali, Baek-sae-chi, Bag-sae-chi, barikuda, Barred marlin, Beak, Beakie, Belyi marlin, Bicuda, Big-ho', Bigok, Billfish, Blå Marlin, Black marlin, Black marlin fish, Black-marlin, Blanca, Blauer Marlin, Blauwe marlijn, Blou marlyn, Blue marlin, Blue marlin fish, Bwagilum, Cá cè'den, Cá Cờ Ấn Độ, Cá cò mitsukurii, Cá Cờ mitsukurii, Cá Cờ xanh, Cá cò'Nhâtban, Cabezona, Castero, Centrolophe noir, Cheong-sae-chi, Chernyi marlin, Chichukaifuurai, Ch'joernij marlin, Cometa, Cuban black marlin, Cuban blue marlin, Daanbeeri, Daanbeeri cadde, Dhappara, Dieunou dong, Dol-lakak, Dugho, Dugso, Empereur, Empereur bleu, Empéreux, Espadarte, Espadarte meca, Espadarte-branco, Espadarte-meca, Espadarte-preto, Espadarte-sombra, Espadim, Espadim azul, Espadim bicudo, Espadim branco, Espadim de bico curto, Espadim de focinto curto, Espadim negro, Espadim raiado, Espadim-azul, Espadim-azul do Atlântico, Espadim-azul-do-Atlântico, Espadim-bicudo, Espadim-branco, Espadim-branco do Atlântico, Espadim-branco-do-Atlântico, Espadim-de-bico-curto, Espadim-do-Mediterrâneo, Espadim-negro, Espadim-peto, Espadim-petro, Espadim-raiado, Espadium azul, Espadium azul do Atlantico, Espadium branco, Espadium pequenho, Espadon, Espadon branco do Atlantico, Espadron ble, Expadim-negro, Fûraikajiki, Gestreepte marlijn, Gestreepte marlyn, Gestreifter Marlin, Ghappara, Giant black marlin, Goluboi marlin, Habara, Haura, Ha'ura, Haura moana, Haura tore, Hvid marlin, Hvit marlin, Iglan, Iglokljun, Iglun, Ikan layer, Imsella imperjali, Indo-Pacific blue marlin, Indo-Pacific Blue-marlin, Indo-pacifisk blå marlin, Iri koppara, jaglun, Japanese spearfish, Juovamarliini, Kajiki, Kalu koppara, Kheil, Kheil al bahar, Kop'jenosjets, Kopparaikulla, Kopparan, Kopparava, Kortbek-speervis, Kortnæbbet spydfisk, Kortnosad spjutfisk, Kuchinaga, Kuchinagafuurai, Kurokajiki, Kurokawa, Langbek-speervis, Langnæbbet spydfisk, Långnosad spjutfisk, Langschnauziger Speerfisch, Layag, Layaran, Liplipan, Lip-lipan, Longbill Spearfish, Lühikoon-odanina, Makaira blekitna, Makaira czarna, Makaira smugowa, Makaire à longue pectorale, Makaire à rostre court, Makaire bec fin, Makaire becune, Makaire bécune, Makaire blanc, Makaire blanc de l'Atlantique, Makaire bleu, Makaire bleu de I'Indo-Pacifique, Makaire bleu de l'Atlantique, Makaire bleu indo-pacifique, Makaire épée, Makaire noir, Makajiki, Makara, Malakay, Malasugi, Malasugue, Malyi kopénosets, Maman-balatre, Manombok, Manumbok, Marlí, Marlí blanc, Marlí d'escates rodones, Marliini, Marlijn, Marlim, Marlim-azul, Marlim-azul do Atlântico, Marlim-bicudo, Marlim-branco, Marlin, Marlín, Marlin alb, Marlin albastru, Marlin atlantico, Marlin azul, Marlín azul, Marlin azul del Indo-Pacifico, Marlin azzurro, Marlin balığı, Marlin bialy, Marlin bianco, Marlin blanca, Marlin blanco, Marlin bleu, Marlin blu, Marlin de la Méditerranée, Marlin de Méditerranée, Marlin del Mediterráneo, Marlín del Mediterráneo, Marlin negro, Marlín negro, Marlin nero, Marlin noir, Marlin pasiasty, Marlin peto, Marlín peto, Marlin rayado, Marlín rayado, Marlin rayé, Marlin śródziemnomorski, Marlin trompa corta, Marlín trompa corta, Marlin trompa larga, Marlin-bicudo, Marlin-branco, Marlin-negro, Marlinos Atlantikou, Marlinos Mesogiou, Martin, M'Bassi n'dwaro, Medelhavs-marlin, Medelhavsspjutfisk, Mediterranean shortbill spearfish, Mediterranean spearfish, Melius, Meluis, Merlim, Merlín azul, Merlín negro, Merlin rayado, Merlín rayado, Mersudji, Mersuji, Mersuji Atlantik biru, Mersuji hitam, Mersuji Pasifik biru, Mersuji tahil, Middelhav-marlin, Middelhavsspydfisk, Mittelmeer-Marlin, Mittelmeer-Speerfisch, Mustamarliini, Mustmarliin, Nairagi, Nduaro, Nduwalo, Neiufi, New Zealand marlin, Neyzeh-mahi-e-syah, Nil koppara, Nishifuuraikajiki, Nishikuro, Nishikurokajiki, Nishimaka, Nishimakajiki, Nog-sae-chi, Nok-sae-chi, Ocean gar, Ocean guard, Olob, Pacific black marlin, Pacific blue marlin, Pacific striped marlin, Palagar, Pastardella, Peito, Peixe agulha, Peixe-agulha, Pesce lancia, Pesce lancia striato, Peto, Pêto, Pez aguja, Pez puerco, Pez zuncho, Picudo, Picudo blanco, Picudo gacho, Picudo negro, Picudo rollizo, Pikkkoon-odanina, Pixxispad, Pixxispad qasir, Poisson-pique, Polosatii marlin, Prieta, Puoh hu, Purjemarliini, Randig marlin, Romerillo, Roundscale spearfish, Rundfjällig Spjutfisk, Rundskællet spydfisk, Sa' u vorowaqa, Saku vorowaqa, Salisuli, Samsuli, Samsuru, Saparava, Sapparava, Sa'ula, Sa'ula-oso, Schwarzer Marlin, Seraman koppara, Sere bristyi marlin, Shirokajiki, Short bill spearfish, Short nosed sword fish, Shortbill spearfish, Short-billed spearfish, Short-billed spear-fish, Shortbill-Spearfish, Shortnosed spearfish, Silver marlin, Silver marlin fish, Sinimarliini, Sinine marliin, Skilligalee, Slender spearfish, Sombra-negra, Sort marlin, Spearfish, Speerfisch, Spikefish, Spjutfisk, Spydfisk, Squadron, Stribet marlin, Strimmig spjutfisk, Striped marlin, Striped swordfish, Stripet marlin, Stripey, Suji, Sulisuli, Svart marlin, Swart marlyn, Swordfish, Tabala, Tadmasa, Taghalar, Taguraar, Takeketonga, Taketonga, Takular, Tandalayang, Tiuvaka, Tonki, Tsun, Tumbuk banir, Ugghia 'mperiali, Ugghia 'mpriali, Ugulia imperiali, Valge piikkoon, Valkomarliini, Varé, Vit marlin, Voladora, Vöödiline piikkoon, Wahoo, Weißer Marlin, White marlin, Wit marlyn, Witte marlijn, Xifomarlinos, Yelken balığı, Zwarte marlijn, Zwarte marlin, Μαρλίνος Aτλαντικού, Μαρλίνος Μεσογείου, Ξιφομαρλίνος, копьеносец белая, Копьеносец белый (=марлин белый), копьеносец короткорылый, марлин белый, Марлин синий, مقير أزرق أطلسيّ ، مكيرأزرق أطلسيّ, तदमासा, குப்பரான், கொப்பரன், கொப்பரைகுல்லா, கொப்பரைகுலா, 녹새치, 백새치, 청새치, 丁挽, 印度枪鱼, 印度槍魚, 台湾枪鱼, 台灣槍魚, 圆鳞四鳍旗鱼, 圓鱗四鰭旗魚, 地中海四鰭旗魚, 地中海四鳍旗鱼, 大西洋蓝枪鱼, 大西洋藍槍魚, 小吻四鰭旗魚, 小吻四鳍旗鱼, 小旗魚, 小旗鱼, 尖吻四鰭旗魚, 尖吻四鳍旗鱼, 油旗鱼, 白枪鱼, 白槍魚, 白肉旗鱼, 白色四鰭旗魚, 白色四鳍旗鱼, 立翅旗魚, 立翅旗鱼, 箕作枪鱼, 箕作槍魚, 紅肉旗, 紅肉旗魚, 红肉仔, 红肉屎仔, 红肉旗, 红肉旗鱼, 翘翅仔, 蓝枪鱼, 藍槍魚, 鋸鱗四鰭旗魚, 鐵皮丁挽, 铁皮, 铁皮丁挽, 锯鳞四鳍旗鱼, 馬林槍魚, 马林枪鱼, 黑皮仔, 黑皮旗魚, 黑皮旗鱼