Family ISTIOPHORIDAE

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Introduction

Marlins and sailfishes, family Istiophoridae, occur worldwide in oceanic waters and are among the most important gamefishes, as well as an increasingly significant component in oceanic commercial fish catches. Five genera and nine species are recognised worldwide (although some studies place some groups as subspecies), with five species in five genera recorded from Australia. Istiophorids are tropical, but sometimes occur in cooler regions. Maximum size attained is more than 4 m.

Nelson (1994) combined this family with Xiphiidae, but subsequently (Nelson 2006) separated it as a distinct family. Istiophoridae were reviewed by Nakamura et al. (1968) and Nakamura (1974). Nakamura (1985) dealt with all the species and subsequently Nakamura (2001) treated species from the tropical western Pacific. Graves & McDowell (2003) presented genetic information affecting the nomenclature of Australian species. We follow Collette et al. (2006), with scientific names changing for three Australian species.

 

General References

Bray, D.J., Hoese, D.F. & Paxton, J.R. 2006. Istiophoridae. pp. 1779-1782 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1779]

Collette, B.B., McDowell, J.R. & Graves, J.E. 2006. Phylogeny of recent billfishes (Xiphioidei). Bulletin of Marine Science 79(3): 455-468

Graves, J.E. & McDowell, J.R. 2003. Stock structure of the world's istiophorid billfishes: a genetic perspective. Marine and Freshwater Research 54: 287-298

McCulloch, A.R. 1922. Checklist of the fish and fish-like animals of New South Wales. Part 3. The Australian Zoologist 2(3): 86-130 figs 25-43

Nakamura, I. 1974. Some aspects of the systematics and distribution of billfishes. In Shomura, R.S. & Williams, F. (eds) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9–12 August 1972. Part 2. National Marine Fisheries Service (U.S.). Technical Report 675: 45-53 figs 1-8

Nakamura, I. 1985. FAO Species Catalogue. Billfishes of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of marlins, sailfishes, spearfishes, and swordfishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 5. Rome : FAO. 65 pp. 41 figs

Nakamura, I. 2001. Xiphiidae, Istiophoridae. pp. 3757-3764 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.

Nakamura, I., Iwai, T. & Matsubara, K. 1968. A review of the sailfish, spearfish, marlin and swordfish of the world. Misaki Marine Biological Institute. Kyoto University. Special Report 4: 1-95 figs 1-26 [in Japanese]

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp.

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Shaw, G. & Nodder, F.P. (ill.) 1792. The Naturalist's Miscellany; or coloured figures of natural objects drawn and described immediately from nature. London : Nodder Vol. III pls 75-110.

 

Common Name References

Allen, G.R. & Steene, R.C. 1988. Fishes of Christmas Island Indian Ocean. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 197 pp. [184] (Sailfishes)

Nakamura, I. 2001. Xiphiidae, Istiophoridae. pp. 3757-3764 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218. [3759] (Billfishes)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
15-May-2013		15-May-2013	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)