Billfish
| This article is one of a series on |
| Commercial fish |
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| Large pelagic |
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billfish, bonito mackerel, salmon shark, tuna |
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| Forage |
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anchovy, herring menhaden, sardine shad, sprat |
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| Demersal |
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cod, eel, flatfish pollock, ray |
| Mixed |
| carp, tilapia |
 Striped Marlin Bait Ball YouTube
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| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 144 kJ (34 kcal) |
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6.65 g
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19.66 g
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| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | 120 IU |
| Vitamin D |
(93%)
558 IU |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium |
(1%)
5 mg |
| Iron |
(3%)
0.38 mg |
| Magnesium |
(8%)
29 mg |
| Phosphorus |
(36%)
255 mg |
| Potassium |
(9%)
418 mg |
| Sodium |
(5%)
81 mg |
| Zinc |
(7%)
0.66 mg |
| Other constituents | |
| Water | 73.38 g |
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| Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
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The term billfish refers to a group of predatory fish characterised by prominent bills, or rostra, and by their large size; some are longer than 4 m (13 ft). Billfish include sailfish and marlin, which make up the family Istiophoridae, and swordfish, sole member of the family Xiphiidae. They are apex predators which feed on a wide variety of smaller fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
Billfish are pelagic and highly migratory. They are found in all oceans, although they usually inhabit tropical and subtropical waters; swordfish are found in temperate waters, as well. Billfish use their long spears or sword-like upper beaks to slash at and stun prey during feeding. Their bills can also be used to spear prey, and have been known to spear boats (probably accidentally), but they are not normally used in that way. They are highly valued as gamefish by sports fishermen.
The term billfish refers to the fishes of the families Xiphiidae and Istiophoridae. These large fishes are "characterized by the prolongation of the upper jaw, much beyond the lower jaw into a long rostrum which is flat and sword-like (swordfish) or rounded and spear-like (sailfishes, spearfishes, and marlins)."
The 12 species of true billfish are divided into two families and five genera. One family, Xiphiidae, contains only one species, the swordfish Xiphias gladius, and the other family, Istiophoridae contains 11 species in four genera, including marlin, , and sailfish. Controversy exists about whether the Indo-Pacific blue marlin, Makaira mazara, is the same species as the Atlantic blue marlin, M. nigricans. FishBase follows Nakamura (1985) in recognizing M. mazara as a distinct species, "chiefly because of differences in the pattern of the lateral line system".
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Wikipedia