Marlin
| Marlin | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Atlantic blue marlin | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Istiophoridae |
| Genera | |
Marlin is a fish from the family Istiophoridae. It has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to derive from its resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike.[1] Even more so than their close relatives, the scombrids, marlin are incredibly fast swimmers, reaching speeds of about 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph).[2][3]
The larger species include the Atlantic blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, which can reach 5 m (16.4 ft) in length and 818 kg (1,800 lb) in weight[4] and the black marlin, Istiompax indica, which can reach in excess of 5 m (16.4 ft) in length and 670 kg (1,500 lb) in weight. They are popular sporting fish in tropical areas.
Marlin are rarely table fare, appearing mostly in expensive restaurants. Most modern sport fishermen release marlin after unhooking.
Very large marlin, which may set a record, are taken and weighed on shore. Records are most often recorded in the IGFA World Record Game Fish books. The current record has stood for some 20 years.
Contents |
Classification
The marlins are perciform fish, most closely related to the swordfish and Scombridae.
Family Istiophoridae
- Genus Istiophorus
- Istiophorus albicans—Atlantic sailfish
- Istiophorus platypterus—Indo-Pacific sailfish
- Genus Istiompax
- Istiompax indica—Black marlin
- Genus Makaira
- Makaira mazara—Indo-Pacific blue marlin
- Makaira nigricans—Atlantic blue marlin
- Genus Tetrapturus
- Tetrapturus albidus—Atlantic white marlin
- Tetrapturus angustirostris—Shortbill spearfish
- Tetrapturus audax—Striped marlin
- Tetrapturus belone—Mediterranean spearfish
- Tetrapturus georgii—Roundscale spearfish
- Tetrapturus pfluegeri—Longbill spearfish
Timeline of genera
In literature
In the Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway's 1952 novel The Old Man and the Sea, the central character of the work is an aged Cuban fisherman who, after 84 days without success on the water, heads out to sea to break his run of bad luck. On the 85th day, Santiago, the old fisherman, hooks a resolute marlin; what follows is a great struggle between man, sea creature, and the elements.
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Douglas Harper (November 2001). "marlin". Online Etymological Dictionary.
- ^ Johnson, G.D. & Gill, A.C. (1998). In Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 190–191. ISBN 0-12-547665-5 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK].
- ^ thetravelalmanac.com/lists/fish-speed.htm
- ^ http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Makaira-nigricans.html
Sources
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Istiophoridae" in FishBase. November 2005 version.
- Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: p.560. Retrieved 2011-05-19.