Common names: marlin (English), aguja (Espanol), merlín (Espanol)
 
Istiompax indica (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1832)

Black marlin


Body not very compressed; bill rounded in cross section; adults with small teeth; nape very high; front dorsal rays elevated into triangular peak, remainder of fin very low, height of front lobe less than greatest body depth; first dorsal fin rays 34-43; second dorsal fin rays 5-7; first anal fin rays 10-14; second anal fin rays 6-7; pectoral fins rigid and cannot be folded close to body, 12-20 rays; pelvic fins filamentous, shorter than pectoral fins; 2 keels on side of tail base; anus close to origin of anal fin; lateral line a series of loops or a meshwork, often obscured in adults; body covered with small, triangular scales. 


Dark blue dorsally and silvery white ventrally; usually no blotches or dark bars on body in adults; first dorsal fin blackish to dark blue; other fins dark brown tinged with blue.

Size: to 500 cm; all-tackle world record 708 Kg.

Habitat: pelagic, oceanic.

Depth: 0-100 m.

Tropical and temperate Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic; southern California to the SW and NE Gulf of California to Peru and the oceanic islands.