Other identification tools | FishBase

Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Istiophoridae Billfishes



(See list of species below)



Select Class:     Select Order:   
Select Family: Subfamily:     Select Genus:

Select Ocean (marine/brackish) or Continent (freshwater):
Select a country:
Only include species occuring above: m

Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional).      Enter total length (TL) and maximum body depth (BD)

Show family drawing(s)



11 species
(see list below)
Export file

1 of 1 Jump to:

Photo by JJPhoto

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 465 cm FL
Istiompax indica (Cuvier, 1832)

Photo by Photo by JJPhoto
 
Istiompax indica
[Black marlin]

Photo by Baumeier, E.

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 315 cm TL
Istiophorus albicans (Latreille, 1804)

Photo by Photo by Baumeier, E.
 
Istiophorus albicans
[Atlantic sailfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 348 cm FL

 
Istiophorus platypterus
[Indo-Pacific sailfish]

Photo by Chow, S.

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 300 cm TL
Kajikia albida (Poey, 1860)

Photo by Photo by Chow, S.
 
Kajikia albida
[Atlantic white marlin]

Photo by Archambault, C.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 420 cm TL
Kajikia audax (Philippi, 1887)

Photo by Photo by Archambault, C.
 
Kajikia audax
[Striped marlin]

Photo by CAFS

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 500 cm TL
Makaira mazara (Jordan & Snyder, 1901)

Photo by Photo by CAFS
 
Makaira mazara
[Indo-Pacific blue marlin]

Photo by Baumeier, E.

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 500 cm TL
Makaira nigricans Lacepède, 1802

Photo by Photo by Baumeier, E.
 
Makaira nigricans
[Blue marlin]

Photo by Vidthayanon, C.

Indian and Pacific
Max. Length 230 cm TL
Tetrapturus angustirostris Tanaka, 1915

Photo by Photo by Vidthayanon, C.
 
Tetrapturus angustirostris
[Shortbill spearfish]

Photo by Cruscanti, M.

Mediterranean Sea
Max. Length 240 cm TL
Tetrapturus belone Rafinesque, 1810

Photo by Photo by Cruscanti, M.
 
Tetrapturus belone
[Mediterranean spearfish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic and Medi
Max. Length 184 cm FL
Tetrapturus georgii Lowe, 1841

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Tetrapturus georgii
[Roundscale spearfish]

Photo by Fishpics

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 254 cm FL
Tetrapturus pfluegeri Robins & de Sylva, 1963

Photo by Photo by Fishpics
 
Tetrapturus pfluegeri
[Longbill spearfish]


Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Export file
n = 11

Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Istiompax indica Black marlin Indo-Pacific 465 FL 1832
Istiophorus albicans Atlantic sailfish Atlantic Ocean 315 TL 1804
Istiophorus platypterus Indo-Pacific sailfish 348 FL 1792
Kajikia albida Atlantic white marlin Atlantic Ocean 300 TL 1860
Kajikia audax Striped marlin Indo-Pacific 420 TL 1887
Makaira mazara Indo-Pacific blue marlin Indo-Pacific 500 TL 1901
Makaira nigricans Blue marlin Atlantic Ocean 500 TL 1802
Tetrapturus angustirostris Shortbill spearfish Indian and Pacific 230 TL 1915
Tetrapturus belone Mediterranean spearfish Mediterranean Sea 240 TL 1810
Tetrapturus georgii Roundscale spearfish Eastern Atlantic and Medi 184 FL 1841
Tetrapturus pfluegeri Longbill spearfish Atlantic Ocean 254 FL 1963



Other identification tools in FishBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
          If you already know the Family, go to Search FishBase, select Family and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the family.

          If you already know the Country, go to
Search FishBase, select Country and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the country.

          If you already know the Ecosystem, go to
Search FishBase, select Ecosystem and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the ecosystem.
cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013