Black Marlin, Istiompax indica (Cuvier 1832)
A Black Marlin, Istiompax indica, caught off Watamu, Kenya. Source: Michael Janke / FishBase. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial
A large and powerful predator, the Black Marlin is a popular gamefish. The body is dark blue above, silvery white below, with a dark blue first dorsal-fin, and the other fins are brownish-black.
Although this species has long been known as Makaira indica, studies indicated that it was distinct from other Marlin species and belonged in its own genus (Collette et al. 2006).
Watch 'Superfish' by the BBC Wildlife Unit.
Video showing how to take a fin clip from a small black marlin SAFELY & unassisted - for use in genetic studies.
Black Marlin, Istiompax indica (Cuvier 1832)
More Info
Distribution |
Circum-Australia, including Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere, the species is widespread in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, occasionally entering temperate waters, and occasionally found in the eastern Atlantic. An epipelagic, oceanic species often found near shore in coastal waters, around islands and coral reefs. The Black Marlin is a highly migratory species, and commercial catch rates are highest in the 0-200 m depth range. |
Features |
Dorsal fin 38-42 + 6-7 finlets; Anal fin 13-14 + 6-7 finlets; Pectoral fin 12-20. Body elongate, slightly compressed; snout long, bill length almost equal to head length; bill almost circular in cross section. Pectoral fins falcate, cannot be folded against body. Body densely covered in thick, elongated bony scales. |
Size |
To 450 cm and 700 kg. Due to difficulties in ageing marlin otoliths, exact age estimates are difficult, but maximum age may exceed 15 years. |
Colour |
Dark blue above, silvery white below. First dorsal fin dark blue, other fins brownish-black. |
Feeding |
The bill is used to stun prey prior to swallowing. Black marlin feed on fishes, squids, cuttlefishes, octopods, large decapod crustaceans - mostly on small tunas such as Skipjack, Yellowfin, Bigeye, and Frigate tunas. |
Biology |
Spawning occurs off Cairns from August to November, in water temperatures around 27-28 degrees C. Females are capable of producing up to 40 million eggs, which are spawned near reefs, where the down-welling water, combined with the near-surface habitat preference, result in larvae staying close to the reef. |
Fisheries |
Black Marlin are taken in commercial and recreational fisheries throughout their range, including as bycatch in longline and purse seine fisheries - mostly by surface tuna longline fishers. |
Species Citation |
Tetrapturus indicus Cuvier 1832, Histoire naturelle des poissons 8: 286. Type locality: Sumatra, Indonesia. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. & Schultz, S. 2018 |
Resources |
Black Marlin, Istiompax indica (Cuvier 1832)
References
Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.
Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2
Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.
Collette, B.B. 2010. Reproduction and Development in Epipelagic Fishes, pp. 21-63. In: Cole, K.S. (ed.) Reproduction and sexuality in marine fishes: patterns and processes, University of California Press, Berkeley, 432 pp.
Collette, B., Acero, A., Canales Ramirez, C., Carpenter, K.E., Di Natale, A., Fox, W., Miyabe, N., Montano Cruz, R., Nelson, R., Schaefer, K., Serra, R., Sun, C., Uozumi, Y. & Yanez, E. 2011. Istiompax indica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T170312A6742465. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170312A6742465.en. Downloaded on 30 October 2018.
Collette, B.B., McDowell, J.R. & Graves, J.E. 2006. Phylogeny of recent billfishes (Xiphioidei). Bulletin of Marine Science 79(3): 455-468
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