Black Marlin

Body elongate and not very compressed; upper jaw produced into a robust but not very long beak; two dorsal fins, the height of the first less then the greatest body depth, becoming shorter posteriorly; pectoral fins falcate and rigid, with 19 to 20 rays; body densely covered with small, embedded scales with 1 or 2 sharp points; back dark blue; belly silvery white; membrane of first dorsal fin blue black, without spots; flanks without spots (Ref. 55763). Dark blue above, silvery white below; sometimes with light blue vertical stripes; 1st dorsal fin blackish to dark blue, other fins dark brown with tinges of dark blue in some specimens.

Believed to prefer water temperatures around 27° to 28°C during spawning. Egg counts of ripe roe totaled about 40 million per female.

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 39 - 50; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 16 - 21

Seasonal changes in distributions of catch rates, reflecting concentrations of fish, do take place but individuals do not follow clear migration routes (Ref. 30358). Such seasonal concentrations are known to occur in the north-west Coral Sea, off the North West Shelf of Australia, in the Banda Sea and the east China Sea (Ref. 6390). There have been suggestions that the distributions and migrations of black marlin are sex-dependent (Ref. 30359). Knowledge of seasonal changes in distribution and migration patterns of this highly mobile species is largely based on catch data collected by the Japanese longline fleet (Ref. 6390). Tagging has also assisted greatly in interpretation of movement patterns (Ref. 30358, 30360).In Australian waters, aggregation in the Coral Sea during September-December, presumed 1-2-year-old fish and 1 or 2 older groups move south parallel to the eastern Australian coastline from north Queensland to central New South Wales, apparently in association with the southward movement of the East Australian Current (Ref. 30358). By April, however, the fish have probably dispersed eastwards (catch rates in eastern Australia between April and August are generally very low). Fish can move large distances (up to 7200 km in 359 days) and recaptures from tagging studies over several years strongly suggest annual homing of at least part of the (western Coral Sea) population (Ref. 30358). It appears that fish also migrate from northwestern Australia to Indian Ocean waters south of Indonesia in late March-April, and fish migrate back to north-western Australia during October (Ref. 30354). High catch rates occur in the Banda Sea north of Australia between January and April (Ref. 6390).Black marlin larvae have been found only in the north-west Coral Sea off Queensland and off northwestern Australia, south of 10°S (where they were misidentified as sailfish larvaeIstiophorus platypterus (Ref. 30361, 30362). Off Lizard Island in north Queensland, concentrations of black marlin larvae have been found in close proximity (within half a mile) to the outer slopes of coral reefs on the edge of the continental shelf (Ref. 30362).

Oceanic, usually found in surface waters above the thermocline, often near shore close to land masses, islands and coral reefs. Feed on fishes, squids, cuttlefishes, octopods, large decapod crustaceans and mostly on small tunas when abundant (Ref. 9668). The flesh is of good quality; marketed refrigerated or frozen and prepared as sashimi in Japan (Ref. 9308). Also Ref. 9692.

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

廣泛分布於印度洋及太平洋之熱帶、亞熱帶海域，少數會進入溫帶海域，有些會越過好望角而進入大西洋。主要分布於東部及南部海域。

一般利用延繩釣或鏢旗魚法捕獲，在臺灣東部及南部海域都有不少。此魚脂肪含量相當多，而且肉是白色的，所以俗稱「白肉旗」，很適合作生魚片，外銷到日本賺取外匯。

體延長，幾呈圓筒形，稍側扁；尾柄細而強狀，具二隆起脊。頭較長；吻長而尖，呈劍狀突出。口大，微斜裂。頜齒呈絨毛狀齒帶，鋤骨無齒。體被細長骨質鱗；側線單一，平直至尾部。第一背鰭軟條部顯然較體高為短；第二背鰭短小；胸鰭位低，呈鐮刀狀，疆硬與體軸保持直角，無法向後折服；腹鰭胸位，起點在胸鰭基底下方，向後不延伸至肛門；尾鰭深叉形。體背藍褐色，腹部銀白色，體側無橫帶和圓斑。第一背鰭藍黑色；腹鰭藍黑色；尾鰭暗色。以前所記載之/Makaira indica/為同種異名。

大洋性中上層洄游性魚類，一般皆發現在躍溫層之上的水域，常成群出現於沿岸或島嶼周遭的水域。游泳速度快。具繁殖洄游之習性。主要攝食魚類、甲殼類及頭足類等，尤其是鯖、鮪之幼魚。

The black marlin (Istiompax indica) is a species of marlin found in tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With a maximum published length of 4.65 m (15.3 ft) and weight of 750 kg (1,650 lb), it is one of the largest marlins and also one of the largest bony fish. Marlin are among the fastest fish, but speeds are often wildly exaggerated in popular media, such as reports of 132 km/h (82 mph). Recent research suggests a burst speed of 36 kilometres per hour (22 mph) is near the maximum rate. Black marlin are fished commercially and are also a highly prized game fish. Black marlins have been known to drag Maldivian fishing boats of the ancient times for very long distances until it got tired; and then it would then take many hours for the fishermen to row or sail back home.