Family XIPHIIDAE

Xiphiidae

© Copyright D.F. Hoese.

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Introduction

The family Xiphiidae comprises a single genus and species of swordfish, Xiphias gladius which is cosmopolitan in tropical, temperate and, sometimes, cold waters of all oceans. Swordfish are usually oceanic, occurring in surface waters and depths down to 650 m. They are distinctive in having a short high dorsal fin, without finlets posteriorly. They reach a size of 4.5 m and are a major commercial species worldwide.

Nelson (1994) combined other billfishes, members of the Istiophoridae, with the Xiphiidae, but subsequently (Nelson 2006) separated the two groups. The conventional classifications of Nakamura (1985, 2001) are followed here and Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae are recognised as distinct families.

General References

Bray, D.J. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Xiphiidae. pp. 1783-1784 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. [1783]

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.

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.

Common Name References

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. [3757] (Swordfish)

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