Black marlin
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| Black marlin | ||||||||||||||
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| Makaira indica Cuvier, 1832 |
The black marlin (Makaira indica) is a species of marlin found in tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a large commercial game fish with a maximum published weight of 750 kg, but greater weights are known. It is one of the largest bony fish species.
The black marlin's body is blue-black above, and a silvery white below, sometimes with light blue vertical stripes. The first dorsal fin is blackish to dark blue with other fins dark brown with tinges of dark blue. The pectoral fins cannot be folded back flat against the body.
Black marlins primarily feed on cephalopods and fish, especially tuna, which they stun and kill with side to side slashing movements of their bill.
[edit] References
- Makaira indica (TSN 172492). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 19 March 2006.
- "Makaira indica". 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
