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Swordfish World
Record
~ 1182 Lbs Caught in Iquique, Chile on May 7, 1953 by angler Louis
Marron Scientific
name
~ Xiphias Gladius Other
names
~ Broadbill, Broadbill
Swordfish, Sword Fish Identification
~ The Swordfish has a stout rounded body with large eyes. Broadbill
swordfish, as the name suggests, carry a large broad, sword-like, bill
which is around one-third of the overall length of the fish. They are a
blackish-brown, with a hint of purple, on their backs fading to light
brown or cream on the belly. Adults have no teeth or scales. They have
two widely separated dorsal fins, no pelvic fins at all and a large keel
on each side of the wrist of the tail. Size
~ At one time Swordfish reached well over a thousand pounds but it would
appear that those days are gone due to over fishing by commercial
longlines. A Swordfish that even weighs 400 pounds is rare and most
angler caught Swordfish weigh from 90 to 200 pounds. All Swordfish
should be released as numbers have become to low. Habitat
~ The swordfish is found in oceanic regions worldwide, including the
Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It is found in tropical,
temperate, and sometimes cold waters, with a latitudinal range of
approximately 60°N to 45°S. The swordfish is a highly migratory
species, generally moving to warmer waters in the winter and cooler
waters in the summer. Generally an oceanic species, the swordfish is
primarily a midwater fish at depths of 650-1970 feet and water
temperatures of 64 to 71°F. Although mainly a warm-water species, the
swordfish has the widest temperature tolerance of any billfish, and can
be found in waters from 41-80°F. The swordfish is commonly observed in
surface waters, although it is believed to swim to depths of 2,100 feet. Feeding
Habits
~ Swordfish feed mostly upon pelagic fishes usually at night.
Swordfish's diet consists of fish such as mackerel, menhaden, bluefish,
silver hake, herring, dolphin, butterfish, and occasionally squid.. The
sword is apparently used in obtaining prey, as squid and cuttlefishes
commonly exhibit slashes to the body when taken from swordfish stomachs.
A recent study found the majority of large fish prey had been slashed,
while small prey items had been consumed whole.
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