Marlin fish are representatives of the species Ray-finned fish belonging to the Marlin family (Istiorkhoridae). It is a popular sport fishing destination and, due to its relatively high fat content, has become an attractive fish for the commercial market.
Description of marlin
For the first time, this species was described two centuries ago by the French ichthyologist Bernard Laseped using a drawing, but later the marlin fish was assigned many different species and generic names. Currently, only the name Makair nigriсans is valid... The generic name comes from the Greek word μαχαίρα, which means "Short dagger".
Appearance
The most popular is the Blue Marlin, or Atlantic Blue Marlin (Macairа nigriсans). The maximum size of adult females is recognized, which can be approximately four times the size of the body of males. A sexually mature male rarely reaches a weight of 140-160 kg, and a female usually weighs 500-510 kg or more with a body length of 500 cm. The distance from the eye area to the tip of the spear is about twenty percent of the total length of the fish. At the same time, a fish with a body weight of 636 kg had an officially recorded record weight.
It is interesting!The blue marlin has two dorsal fins and a pair of anal fins that support the bony rays. The first dorsal fin is characterized by the presence of 39-43 rays, while the second is characterized by the presence of only six or seven such retainers.
The first anal fin, similar in shape and size to the second dorsal fin, has 13-16 rays. Narrow and rather long pelvic fins are able to retract inside a special depression, which is located in the lateral part. The pelvic fins are longer than the pectorals, but the latter are distinguished by a not too well-developed membrane and a depression inside the ventral groove.
The upper body of the Atlantic Blue Marlin has a dark blue coloration, and the sides of such a fish are distinguished by a silvery color. On the body there are about fifteen rows of stripes of a pale greenish-blue color with round dots or thin stripes. The membrane on the first dorsal fin is dark blue or almost black in color without marks or dots. Other fins are usually bright dark brown with a tinge of dark blue. There are silvery tones at the base of the second and first anal fins.
The body of the fish is covered with thin and elongated scales. The spear is strong and rather long, and the presence of small, file-like teeth is characteristic of the jaws and palatine bones of representatives of the Ray-finned fishes class.
It is interesting! Marlins are able to quickly change their color and acquire a bright blue color during the hunt. Such color changes are due to the presence of iridophores, which contain pigments, as well as special light-reflecting cells.
The lateral line of the fish contains neuromasts, which are located in the canal. Even weak movements in water and all noticeable changes in pressure are captured by such cells. The anal opening is located directly behind the first anal fin. The blue marlin, along with other members of the marlin family, has twenty-four vertebrae.
Character and lifestyle
Almost all types of marlins prefer to stay away from the coastline, using the surface layers of water for their movement. In the process of movement, fish belonging to this family are capable of developing significant speed and actively jumping out of the water to a height of several meters. For example, sailboats can quite easily and quickly accelerate to a speed of 100-110 kilometers per hour, due to which the representatives of the species are usually referred to as the fastest fish in the world.
Predatory fish predominantly lead a hermitic lifestyle, swimming about 60-70 km during the day. Representatives of the family are characterized by seasonal migrations that cover distances of up to seven to eight thousand miles. As shown by numerous studies and observations, the way marlins move in the water column is very similar to the swimming style of an ordinary shark.
How many marlins live
Males of blue marlin can live for about eighteen years, and females of this family can live up to a quarter of a century or a little more. The average life span of sailboats does not exceed fifteen years.
Types of marlin
All types of marlin have an elongated body shape, as well as a characteristic spear-shaped snout and a long, very rigid dorsal fin:
- Indo-pacific sailboats (Istiorkhorus platipterus) from the genus Sailboats (Istiorkhorus). The main distinguishing feature of the sailboat is the high and long first dorsal fin, reminiscent of a sail, starting from the back of the head and going almost along the entire back of the fish. The back is black with a blue tint, and the sides are brown with a blue tint. The belly area is silvery white. On the sides there are a large number of not too large pale blue spots. The length of one-year-olds is a couple of meters, and adult fish are about three meters long with a mass of one hundred kilograms;
- Black marlin (Istiomax indis) from the genus Istiomax belongs to the category of commercial fish, but the volume of world catches is not more than several thousand tons. A popular sport fishing object has an elongated, but not too laterally compressed body, covered with elongated dense and thick scales. The dorsal fins are separated by a small gap, and the caudal fin is month-shaped. The back is dark blue, and the sides and abdomen are silvery-white. Adults do not have streaks or spots on their bodies. The length of an adult fish is 460-465 cm with a body weight of up to 740-750 kg;
- Western atlantic or small spearman (Tetrarturus pfluеgen) from the genus Spearmen (Tetrarturus). Fish of this species are distinguished by a powerful, elongated body, strongly flattened from the sides, and also have an elongated and thin, spear-shaped snout, rounded in cross-section. The pelvic fins are quite thin, equal to or slightly longer than the pectoral fins, retracted into the deep groove on the belly. The back is dark in color with a blue tint, and the sides are silvery-white with chaotic brown spots. The belly area is silvery white. The maximum length of an adult is 250-254 cm, and the body weight does not exceed 56-58 kg.
According to the classification, there are also known species represented by the Short-necked spearman, or the short-necked marlin, or the short-nosed spearfish (Tetrarturus angustirostris), the Mediterranean spear-bearer, or the Mediterranean marlin (Tetrarturus bélonе), the South European North African gullet, or Copenurus
Atlantic white spearman, or Atlantic white marlin (Kajikia albidus), Striped spearman, or striped marlin (Kajikia audax), as well as Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara), Atlantic blue marlin, or blue marlin (Istiorkhorus albisans).
Habitat, habitats
The marlin family is represented by three main genera and ten different species, which differ in their distribution area and habitats. For example, the Sailfish fish (Istiorkhorus platyrterus) is found most often in the waters of the Red, Mediterranean and Black seas. Through the waters of the Suez Canal, adult sailboats enter the Mediterranean Sea, from where they easily swim into the Black Sea.
The blue marlin is found in the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and is found predominantly in the western part. The range of the Black Marlin (Makaira indis) is represented most often by the coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, especially the waters of the East China and Coral Seas.
Spearheads, which are marine pelagic oceanodromous fish, are usually found singly, but are sometimes able to form small groups of uniformly sized fish. This species lives in open waters, choosing a depth within two hundred meters, but above the location of the thermal wedge. Preference is given to areas with a water temperature of 26 ° C.
Marlin diet
All marlins are predatory aquatic inhabitants. For example, black marlins feed on all kinds of pelagic fish, and also hunt squid and crustaceans. In the waters in Malaysia, the basis of the diet of this species is represented by anchovies, various species of horse mackerel, flying fish and squid.
Sailboats feed on small fish found in the upper water layers, including sardines, anchovies, mackerel and mackerel. Also, the diet of this species includes crustaceans and cephalopods. The larval stage of the Atlantic blue marlin, or blue marlin, feeds on zooplankton, including plankton eggs and larvae of other fish species. Adults hunt fish, including mackerel, as well as squid. Near coral reefs and oceanic islands, the blue marlin feeds on juveniles of various coastal fish.
Small or West Atlantic spearmen feed on squid and fish in the upper water layers, but the composition of the diet of this species is quite diverse. In the southern parts of the Caribbean Sea, small spearmen eat Ommastrephidae, herring and Mediterranean tarsier. In the western Atlantic, the main food organisms are Atlantic seabream, snake mackerel and cephalopods, including Ornithoteuthis antillarum, Hyaloteuthis plogisa, and Tremostorus violaceus.
Spearmen living in the northern subtropics and tropics of the Atlantic Ocean prefer fish and cephalopods. In the gastric contents of such marlins, fish were found that belong to twelve families, including gempilidae (Gempylidae), flying fish (Exocetidae), and mackerel (Scombridae), as well as sea bream (Bramidae).
Marlin is a representative of a fairly large family of marlin, which, in turn, belong to the order of perchiformes. This fish is known for its interesting features, which consist in a special structure of the muzzle, similar in structure to the muzzle of a sword-bearer and the ability to develop a speed of more than 110 kilometers per hour under water.
Appearance and varieties
Representatives of marlin have a powerful body, slightly flattened laterally. The fish has a spear-shaped snout, rounded in cross-section. The jaws and palatine bones are equipped with small sawtooth teeth. Marlin have 2 dorsal fins, which are relatively close to each other. The body height of marlin can be up to 4.5 times its length.
In nature, there are several varieties of the marlin family: black marlin, blue marlin, which is also called blue marlin and Indo-Pacific. Below will be presented a brief descriptive characteristic of each of the varieties, accompanied by photos and videos.
Black marlin is the largest member of its family. The black marlin has a spear-shaped upper jaw. Black marlin has an elongated body, which is covered with small oblong scales, completely hidden in the skin. A characteristic feature of this species is the pectoral fins, which the black marlin cannot press against its body. Black marlin can grow up to 3 meters in length and weigh over 700 tons of kilograms.
The blue or blue marlin is a member of its family with one interesting characteristic. The maximum size of males is more than 4 times smaller than the size of females. So, for example, males weighing more than 160 kilograms are rarely found, while females can gain over 540 kilograms in weight. Blue marlin has bony rays that support its fins. The body is dark blue in the dorsal region and silvery on the sides.
Distribution and habitats
This fish is an inhabitant of the ocean depths. Prefers water temperature over 23 degrees Celsius for living. As a rule, marlins are found in open waters, but they rarely enter the continental shallow waters and shelf areas. The fish does not form numerous clusters, however, and does not lead a solitary lifestyle. Usually marlins gather in small groups. Which include up to 10 individuals.
This fish is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Most individuals prefer to live along the equatorial line. Very often it can be found almost at the surface of the water, at a depth of up to 50 meters. However, in some sources there is information that he can easily dive to a depth of more than 1800 tons.
Diet
As a rule, the fish menu includes epipelagigals, however, marlin can also feed on deep-sea representatives, such as, for example, glowing anchovies. It also eats large pelagic fish. Tuna, large squid, diving crab and shrimp are specialties.
Near the Hawaiian Islands, fishermen found big-eyed tuna in the stomach of a caught marlin. The victim weighed over 28 kilograms. At the same time, the young marlin himself, taking into account the weight of the victim, was 340 kilograms. Some sources provide information that the Indo-Pacific marlin uses its rostrum to stun its victim.
Reproduction
Marlin reaches sexual maturity in the third year of life. Before the first spawning, females can weigh as little as 44 kilograms, while young males can weigh up to 61 kilograms. Spawning takes place from August to November. Some females can spawn up to 4 times per season. An average female can spawn up to 7 million eggs.
The eggs are only 1 millimeter in diameter. With such fertility, a high mortality rate of eggs and larvae is characteristic, which is characteristic of all animals with high fertility. Plankton juveniles and marlin larvae move across the ocean in ocean currents. Most often, the larvae are found in the Atlantic, near Georgia, North Carolina, Florida. Jamaica, Bahamas and off the coast of Brazil.
Marlin larvae develop extremely quickly. The average growth rate is up to 16 millimeters per day. In the Bahamas, a marlin was caught with a body length of more than 250 millimeters and an age of only 42 days. The sides of the young are painted with a bluish tint, and the belly is white. The caudal fin and caudal peduncle are light in color.
Caught marlin is every angler's dream. Today, marlin fishing is one of the outdoor activities. This giant is a very strong and tenacious fish. Fighting with him will delight anyone, even an avid fisherman, indescribable delight.
Caught marlin
The name "marlin" is common to fish that belong to the family of sailfish and the order of perchiformes. In general, this includes eleven species, the main of which are such as Atlantic blue, blue, black, striped and marlin (its photos are located below) can reach speeds of up to 130 km / h and is an active, ruthless predator. Among its distinctive characteristics should be called an elongated streamlined body and a head with a spear-like process. In terms of size, it is the largest among all.Cases have been recorded when the length of some individuals reached five meters. Marlin fish, regardless of the species, is considered an elite trophy in sport fishing. In most cases, she is photographed and released. Therefore, dishes made from it belong to the category of delicacies that are found mainly in expensive restaurants.
The most valuable in the whole family is marlin. Its body is covered with many oblong small scales that are completely hidden under the skin. The dorsal fin consists of two parts of different sizes. The main, first fin has a long base with spiny rays, and the second is short and is located closer to the tail. The pectoral fins differ in that they are not adjacent to the body. The tail of this fish is crescent-shaped and formed by thin but extremely strong lobes. The jaw teeth are poorly developed. The weight of the black marlin variety is also large. Once a specimen was caught with a record weight of 708 kilograms.
These fish are found mainly in the waters of the Indian, Pacific Oceans, as well as off the coast of Central America and Mexico. The predator feeds mainly on tuna and squid, less often on others. At great depths, it practically does not hunt. Marlin fish spawn mainly in the equatorial regions of the tropical strip. This process lasts throughout the year. At the same time, members of the family do not create large clusters and do not carry out systematic migrations. An interesting feature of this type of fish is breathing. The fact is that while under water, they swim with their mouths half open. The water, which at this time passes through their gills, enriches the blood and the entire body with oxygen.
Marlin fish, regardless of the subspecies, has a highly valuable and very tasty meat. It is caught mainly by the longline method (tuna is caught in the same way), or with the help of a harpoon. In sport fishing, spinning is used. However, dealing with a hooked giant is often lengthy and difficult. The fish constantly tries to go deep, and sometimes even jumps high into the air. Among inveterate fans of this sport, it should be noted that knowledge of the habits of marlin and the intricacies of the process of catching them helped to write the story "The Old Man and the Sea". Now everyone has the opportunity to see a stuffed fish of this fish by visiting the Museum of Natural History, which is located at the Washington Smithsonian Institution.
Blue Marlin is a coveted fishing trophy, impressive with its beautiful appearance and impressive dimensions. Representatives of this species of the largest bony fish grow up to 5 meters in length and gain weight up to a ton. But the owners of such a massive mascara are not at all sluggish. Blue marlins are capable of moving speeds up to 120 km / h.
Eyewitnesses of the movement of this fish under water claim that it looks more like a heavenly inhabitant than an inhabitant of the depths of the oceans. But the blue marlin is far from harmless to other marine life and without a big risk to its life can come into battle with such a strong opponent as the white one. Thanks to its elongated upper jaw, it can easily hunt even flying fish.
Atlantic migratory predator
The abode of the blue marlin is the temperate waters of the western. It is here that you can meet this predator, and for such an attachment to this region it is often called the Atlantic marlin. Representatives of this species do not differ in their tendency to group in flocks, but prefer migrations to settled residence in one place.
Brazil and its fishing resorts are in an advantageous position for those wishing to go fishing for Atlantic marlin. This oceanic fish migrates through the region twice a year. Therefore, marlin lovers gather annually in this region, from Canavieiras to Rio de Janeiro, from January to March and from October to November.
On the island of Mauritius, which is famous for its sport fishing competitions, catching blue marlin is popular between November and April. It is during this period that the maximum chances of catching a sharp-nosed predator and at the same time really relaxing in a paradise, famous for excellent and excellent conditions for, and kayaking.
Features of fishing for blue marlin
Whichever place on the planet you choose in order to try to catch a blue marlin, it is important to remember that finding and catching it in the water with a bait is just the beginning. An intelligent and strong fish is never easy to handle.
There are cases when it took up to half a day not to release the prey and drag it on board. Fishing for blue marlin is incredibly reckless, because the representatives of these fish actively resist becoming a trophy, either going under the water to a depth of 200 m, then rapidly jumping upward and performing impressive somersaults in the air.
Most resorts have strict catch-and-release rules. But if you manage to taste the meat of blue marlin caught with your own hands, then such luck will become the envy of not only other ocean fishing lovers, but also culinary gourmets.
Niramin - Apr 26th, 2016
The famous Atlantic blue marlin or blue marlin (Latin Makaira nigricans) lives in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Closer to the equator, you can make a kind of fishing feat - to catch a blue marlin. After all, in order to become the owner of the "Grand Slam", but not tennis, but what takes place in a fishing environment, besides other conditions, it is necessary to catch this particular fish.
There are countries where marlin fishing is rather strictly regulated by local legislation. In some of them, the law requires that the entire catch be released. But the main thing for a person obsessed with fishing is not to eat the fish, but to defeat it. In the case of blue marlin, the fight will always be long, difficult and interesting.
Judge for yourself, the length of the fish can be up to 4 meters, and the weight of the beauty can be up to 0.8 tons. Precisely, beauties. Marlins are one of the few animals whose females are much larger than their male counterparts. The fish is dark blue in the upper part of the body and silvery on the sides, with unusually beautiful dorsal fins and a spear-shaped snout, capable of accelerating to 100 km / h. Some peoples call her the fish king.
Royal marlin fish prefer open water and shallow water. But it can come to the shore and go to the depths. They live in small flocks, about a dozen individuals. The fish is predatory, it is believed that everything else prefers tuna, crabs and shrimp.
In the third year of its life, the marlin becomes sexually mature, that is, ready for breeding. The female lays eggs in large enough quantities, of the order of several million eggs. This happens up to 4 times a year.
Blue marlin in the photo:
Photo: Atlantic blue marlin. 
Video: Blue Marlin Action - lots of jumps and fights
Video: Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans)