Marlin (Black Blue and Striped)
The black Marlin (Makaira indica) is a species of marlin found in tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a large commercial game fish with a maximum published weight of 750 kg, but greater weights are known. It is one of the largest bony fish species.
The black marlin's body is blue-black above, and a silvery white below, sometimes with light blue vertical stripes. The first dorsal fin is blackish to dark blue with other fins dark brown with tinges of dark blue. The pectoral fins cannot be folded back flat against the body.
Black marlins primarily feed on cephalopods and fish, especially tuna, which they stun and kill with side to side slashing movements of their bill
The Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) is a species of marlin. It is a large commercial game fish with a maximum published weight of 820 kg (1,800 lb) and a maximum total length of 5 m (16 ft 3 in). Its massive size makes it one of the largest bony fish species in the world. Its body is blue-black above, and a silvery white underside.
Blue marlins primarily feed on other fish and cephalopods.
The Striped Marlin, Tetrapturus audax, is a species of marlin found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a large commercial game fish with a record weight (at 1982) of 190 kg, and a maximum length of 420 cm.
The striped marlin's body is metallic blue-black above, and silvery below, with 15 to 20 narrow lavender vertical stripes. The upper jaw is extended to form a sword-like bill which makes up about 17% of the total length. The fins are dark blue-black. The front of the first dorsal fin is high, reducing rapidly to a much lower fin which continues almost to the second dorsal fin which is set well back. The long scythe-like pectoral fins can be folded back flat against the body, and the pelvic fins are each reduced to a single elongate ray. There are 2 strengthening keels on the caudal peduncle.
Striped marlins primarily feed on cephalopods and fish, especially tuna, which they stun and kill with side to side slashing movements of their bill.
Sailfish
The Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, is a sailfish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is dark blue on top, brown-blue laterally, silvery white underbelly; upper jaw elongated in form of spear; first dorsal fin greatly enlarged in the form of a sail, with many black spots, its front squared off, highest at its midpoint; pelvic fins very narrow, reaching almost to the anus; body covered with embedded scales, blunt at end; lateral line curved above pectoral fin, then straight to base of tail.they have a large and sharp bill, that they use for hunting.They love to eat tuna and mackerel, some of the fastest fish in the Ocean.
Wahoo
The Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) is a dark blue scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. Some say that the name "Wahoo" is a derivation of the name of the Hawaiian Island Oahu, which was sometimes spelled Wahoo, while others say the name derives from the exclamation of some fishermen, "Wahoo!" who have hooked into the extremely fast running fish. The fish is also known as Ono, after the Hawaiian word for "delicious", ‘ono, Jack Mackerel, and Peto.
The body is elongate and covered with small, scarcely visible, scales; the back is an iridescent blue green, while the sides are silvery, with a pattern of vertical blue bars. These colors fade rapidly at death. The mouth is large, and both the upper and lower jaws have a somewhat sharper appearance than those of King or Spanish Mackerel. Specimens have been recorded at up to 2.5 meters (8 ft) in length, and weighing up to 83 kilograms (180 lb). Growth can be rapid. One specimen tagged at 11 pounds grew to 33 pounds in one year. Wahoo can swim up to 75 kilometers (47 miles) per hour.
The Wahoo may be distinguished from the related King mackerel by a fold of skin which covers the mandible when its mouth is closed. In contrast, the mandible of the King mackerel is always visible as is also the case for Spanish and Cero mackerels. Their teeth are similar to those of King mackerel, but shorter and more closely set together.
Wahoos tend to be solitary or occur in loose-knit groups of two or three fish, rather than in schools. Their diet consists essentially of other fish and squid.
The flesh of the Wahoo is delicate and white and regarded as very good in quality. This has created some demand for the wahoo as a premium priced commercial food fish. However, because of its solitary lifestyle, it is taken commercially only as a bycatch in the long-line fishery for Tuna and Dolphin. Wherever found, it is a prized sport fishing catch.
Dorodo
The Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, also known as dolphin-fish, dolphin or Mahi-mahi, are surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. They are one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the Pompano dolphinfish. The name "mahi-mahi" ("strong-strong" in Hawaiian), particularly on restaurant menus, has been adopted in recent years to avoid confusing these fish with dolphins, which are mammals. They are also commonly known as maverikos.
Mahi-mahi have a lifespan of no more than three to four years. Sport catches average 7 to 13 kg (15 to 25 pounds). They seldom exceed 45 kg (80 pounds), and any Mahi-mahi over 18 kg is exceptional. Mahi-mahi have compressed bodies and long dorsal fins extending almost the entire length of their bodies. Their anal fins are sharply concave. They are distinguished by dazzling colors: golden on the sides, bright blues and greens on the sides and back. Mature males also have prominent foreheads protruding well above the body proper. When they are removed from the water, the fish often change between several colors, finally fading to a muted yellow-grey upon death.
Mahi-mahi are carnivorous, feeding on flying fish, crabs, squid, mackerel, and other small fish. They have also been known to eat zooplankton and crustaceans.
Barracuda
The Great Barracuda is an elongated fish with powerful jaws. The lower jaw of the large mouth juts out beyond the upper. Barracudas possess strong, fang-like teeth. These are unequal in size and set in sockets in the jaws on the roof of the mouth. The head is quite large and is pointed and pike-like in appearance. The gill-covers do not have spines and are covered with small scales. The two dorsal fins are widely separated, with the first having five spines and the second having one spine and nine soft rays. The second dorsal fin equals the anal fin in size and is situated more or less above it. The lateral line is prominent and extends straight from head to tail. The spinous dorsal fin is placed above the pelvics. The hind end of the caudal fin is forked or concave. It is set at the end of a stout peduncle. The pectoral fins are placed low down on the sides. The barracuda swim bladder is large.
In general, the barracuda's coloration is dark green or grey above chalky-white below. This varies somewhat. Sometimes there is a row of darker cross-bars or black spots on each side. The fins may be yellowish or dusky.
Tuna
Tuna, sometimes called Tuna Fish, are several species of ocean-dwelling fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus.
Tunas are fast swimmers (they have been clocked at 77 km/h (48 mph)) and include several species that are warm-blooded. Unlike most fish species, which have white flesh, the flesh of tuna is pink to dark red. This is because tuna muscle tissue contains greater quantities of myoglobin, an oxygen-binding molecule, than the muscle tissue of most other fish species. Some of the larger tuna species such as the bluefin tuna can raise their blood temperature above the water temperature with muscular activity. This enables them to live in cooler waters and survive a wider range of circumstances.
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