Istiophorus albicans
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Istiophoridae (Billfishes)
Istiophorus
Istiophorus albicans
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Long sail-like first dorsal fin; pectoral fin and caudal fin lobes relatively long in juveniles; rostrum very long, slender, and round in cross section; nape strongly elevated; pectoral fin shorter than pelvic fin with 17 to 20 rays; first dorsal fin higher than body depth at midlength, with undulating margin and 42 to 46 rays; second dorsal fin short with 6 or 7 rays; pelvic fin extends nearly to anus; first anal fin pointed anteriorly with 11 to 14 rays; second anal fin originates slightly anterior to second dorsal fin with 6 or 7 rays; scales sparse in adults, embedded in integument, with a single spine; lateral line single and runs along midflank; vertebrae number 24: 12 precaudal and 12 caudal; gas bladder consists of numerous bubble-like chambers.
Dark blue dorsally, light blue blotched with brown laterally, and silver white ventrally; side has about 20 narrow bands of light blue round spots; first dorsal fin dark blue to black with scattered black dots.
Distribution
Tropical to warm temperate Atlantic Ocean; in the western Atlantic from about 40°N to 40°S, including the oceanic regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean Sea.
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Epipelagic, above the thermocline between 21°C and 28°C; occasionally in coastal waters; migrates to higher latitudes during summer months.
Biology
Mollusks (such as Argonauta spp. and squids), pelagic ray-finned fishes (such as Hemiramphus spp., Strongylura spp., Caranx spp., Trichiurus lepturus, and Euthynnus alletteratus), and benthic ray-finned fishes (such as Lagodon rhomboides and triglids).
Maximum known size is 315 cm TL.
Usually found in the upper layers of warm water above the thermocline, but also capable of descending to rather deep water. Often migrate into near-shore waters. Occasionally form schools or smaller groups of 3 to 30 individuals, but often occur in loose aggregations over a wide area. Feed mainly on small pelagic fishes but also takes bottom-dwelling organisms. Females grow larger (Ref. 4770). Utilized fresh, canned and frozen; eaten steamed (Ref. 9987).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Around Florida in USA, this species often moves inshore into shallow waters where females, swimming sluggishly with their dorsal fins extended and accompanied each by one or more males, may spawn near the surface in the warm season. However, spawning in offshore waters beyond the 100 fathom isobath was also reported from south of Cuba to Carolina, USA. Off southeast Florida, a 33.4 kg female may shed up to 4.8 million eggs in three batches during one spawning season.
IUCN Red List Status: N.E. (N.E.). Resilience: Medium (K=0.15-1.2 (?); tm=3.5; tmax=3.5).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
I. platypterus occurs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and is distinguished by having relatively shorter pectoral fins and shorter caudal fin lobes as juveniles (body length less than 90 cm) and by reaching a larger size (340 cm TL).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Voss 1953 (as I. americanus)
Arnold 1955
de Sylva 1957 (as I. americanus)
Wise and Davis 1973
Jolley 1974
Jolley 1977
Nakamura 1985
Nakamura 1986b
Nakamura 2002b
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Smith 1997 (nine previous references, except Nakamura 2002b, as I. platypterus)
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Nakamura, I. (1985) FAO species catalogue. Vol. 5. Billfishes of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of marlins, sailfishes, spearfishes and swordfishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(5):65p. Rome: FAO.
Júnior, T.V., C.M. Vooren and R.P. Lessa (2004) Feeding habits of four species of Istiophoridae (Piscea: Perciformes) from northeastern Brazil. Environ. Biol. Fishes 70:293-304.
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