Swordfish brief description. Swordfish: all about the “warlike” inhabitant of sea waters. What does a swordfish look like?

Swordfish, or swordfish (Xiphias gladius) is a representative of a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes and the swordfish family (Xiphiidae). Large fish are able to maintain the temperature of the eyes and brain significantly higher than the temperature regime environment, which is due to endothermy. Active predator has a wide range of nutrition, makes quite long migrations and is a popular object of sport fishing.

Description of swordfish

First appearance got swordfish scientific description back in 1758. Carl Linnaeus, on the pages of the tenth volume of the book “System of Nature,” described representatives of this species, but the binomen has not received changes to this day.

Appearance

The fish has a powerful and elongated, cylindrical shape cross section body with a narrowing towards the tail. The so-called “spear” or “sword”, which is an elongated upper jaw, is formed by the nasal and premaxillary bones, and is also characterized by a noticeable flattening in the dorsoventral direction. The lower-positioned, non-retractable mouth part is distinguished by the absence of teeth on the jaws. The eyes are large in size, and the gill membranes are not attached to the interbranchial space. Gill rakers are also absent, so the gills themselves are represented by modified plates connected into a single mesh plate.

This is interesting! It should be noted that the larval stage and young swordfish have significant differences from adult individuals in scale cover and morphology, and the gradual changes in appearance are completed only after the fish reaches a meter in length.

The pair of dorsal fins is distinguished by a significant gap between the bases. The very first dorsal fin has a short base, begins immediately above the posterior region of the head and contains from 34 to 49 soft-type rays. The second fin is noticeably smaller than the first, shifted far towards the tail, consisting of 3-6 soft rays. Inside the pair of anal fins, hard rays are also completely absent. Pectoral fins Swordfish are characterized by a sickle-shaped shape and no abdominal ones. The caudal fin is strongly notched and month-shaped.

The back of a swordfish and its top part the bodies are distinguished by a dark brown color, but given color gradually turns into a light brown tint in the abdominal area. The membranes on all fins are brown or dark brown in color of varying degrees of intensity. Young individuals are distinguished by the presence of transverse stripes, which completely disappear during the growth and development of the fish. The maximum length of an adult swordfish is 4.5 m, but most often does not exceed three meters. The weight of such ocean-dwelling pelagic fish can reach 600-650 kg.

Character and lifestyle

The swordfish is rightfully considered to be the fastest and most agile swimmer of all those currently existing in the world. deep sea inhabitants. Such an oceanodromous pelagic fish is quite capable of reaching speeds of up to 120 km/h, which is due to the presence of certain features in the structure of the body. Thanks to the so-called “sword”, drag indicators are noticeably reduced as the fish moves in a dense water environment. Among other things, adult swordfish have a characteristic torpedo-shaped and streamlined body, completely devoid of scales.

Swordfish, along with its closest relatives, have gills, which are not only respiratory organs, but also serve the marine life as a kind of hydrojet type engine. A continuous water flow occurs through such gills, and its speed is regulated by the process of narrowing or widening the gill slits.

This is interesting! Swordfish are capable of long-distance swimming, but in calm weather they prefer to rise to the surface of the water, where they swim with their dorsal fin exposed. Periodically, the swordfish picks up speed and jumps out of the water, immediately falling noisily back.

The body of swordfish has a temperature that is approximately 12-15 o C higher than the temperature regime of ocean water. It is this feature that ensures the high “starting” readiness of the fish, allowing it to unexpectedly develop significant speed during the hunt or, if necessary, evade enemies.

How long do swordfish live?

Female swordfish tend to be noticeably larger than male swordfish and also have a longer lifespan. On average, representatives of the species of ray-finned fish, belonging to the order Perciformes and the family Swordfish, live no more than ten years.

Range, habitats

Swordfish are common in the waters of all the world's seas and oceans, with the exception of Arctic latitudes. Large oceanodromous pelagic fishes are found in Atlantic Ocean, in the waters of Newfoundland and Iceland, in the North and Mediterranean seas, as well as near the coastal zone of the Azov and Black Seas. Active fishing for swordfish is carried out in the waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans, where the total number of representatives of the swordfish family is now quite high.

Swordfish diet

Swordfish are active opportunistic predators and have a fairly wide food spectrum. Since all swordfish existing today are inhabitants of the epi- and mesopelagic zone, they carry out constant and vertically directed migrations in the water column. Swordfish move from the surface of the water to a depth of eight hundred meters, and are also able to move between open waters and coastal areas. It is this feature that determines the diet of swordfish, which includes animals large or small organisms from near-surface waters, as well as bottom fish, cephalopods and fairly large pelagic fish.

This is interesting! The difference between swordfish and billfish, which use their “spear” solely for the purpose of stunning prey, is the defeat of the victim with the “sword”. In the stomachs of caught swordfish there are squid and fish that are literally cut into several parts or show signs of damage caused by a “sword”.

The diet of a significant number of swordfish inhabiting the coastal waters of eastern Australia was, until some time ago, characterized by a predominance of cephalopods. Today, the composition of the diet of swordfish differs between individuals that live in coastal and open waters. In the first case, fish predominate, and in the second, cephalopods.

Reproduction and offspring

Data regarding the maturation of swordfish are very scarce and very contradictory, which is most likely due to differences in individuals living in different habitats. Swordfish spawn in the upper water layers when temperature conditions at 23°C and salinity levels in the range of 33.8-37.4 ‰.

The spawning season of swordfish in the equatorial waters of the World Ocean is observed year-round. In the waters Caribbean Sea and in Gulf of Mexico Peak breeding occurs from April to September. In the Pacific Ocean, spawning occurs in the spring and summer.

Swordfish caviar is pelagic, with a diameter ranging from 1.6-1.8 mm, completely transparent, with the presence of a fairly large fat drop. Potential fertility rates are very high. The length of the hatching larva is approximately 0.4 cm. The larval stage of swordfish has a unique shape and undergoes a long metamorphosis. Since such a process is continuous and takes a long period of time, it is not separated into separate phases. The hatched larvae have a weakly pigmented body, a relatively short snout, and peculiar spiny scales scattered throughout the body.

This is interesting! Swordfish are born with a round head, but gradually, in the process of growth and development, the head becomes pointed and becomes very similar to a “sword”.

As they actively develop and grow, the jaws of the larvae lengthen, but remain equal in length. Further growth processes are accompanied by more rapid development namely the upper jaw, due to which the head of such a fish takes on the appearance of a “spear” or “sword”. Individuals with a body length of 23 cm have one dorsal fin extending along the body and one anal fin, and the scales are arranged in several rows. Also, such juveniles have a lateral sinuous line, and teeth are located on the jaws.

In the process of further growth, the anterior part of the dorsal fin increases in height. After the body length of the swordfish reaches 50 cm, a second dorsal fin is formed, connected to the first. Scales and teeth, as well as the lateral line, completely disappear only in immature individuals that have reached a meter in length. At this age, swordfish retain only the anterior enlarged part of the dorsal first fin, the second shortened dorsal fin and a pair of anal fins that are clearly separated from each other.

Swordfish - large sea ​​predator, living in the warm waters of the subtropics and tropics, the temperature of which does not fall below 18-22 degrees Celsius.

But some individuals are an exception and are found in cooler waters with temperatures up to 5 degrees Celsius. Also, swordfish can live in very warm water, the temperature of which reaches 27 degrees.

This species is capable of long migrations. In summer, fish head to cooler regions, and in winter they swim to warmer waters. Swordfish live in water depths of 500-550 meters, but they can dive to greater depths - up to 2.5 kilometers.

Appearance of swordfish

A distinctive feature of this species is a bone growth on the muzzle. This growth is flat and its edges are sharp. Visually, this growth is similar to a sword, hence the name. The length of the growth is one third of the length of the entire body. There is an opinion that with the help of its “sword” the fish stuns other predators without suffering itself. At the base of the growth there are cavities filled with fat; these cavities perform a shock-absorbing function upon impact.

The upper part of the body is bluish in color with a slight red sheen, and the belly is matte blue. The tail is black and blue, the fins are silver.

The body is slightly compressed on the sides, and becomes more round towards the tail. The mouth is large, it even goes behind the eyes. The lower jaw is not elongated. The gills have a different structure from other fish; they have not only longitudinal, but also transverse leaves, so they resemble a net. Swordfish have no scales. Adults have no teeth in their mouths; they grow only in young animals and disappear with age.

The body length is on average 3 meters, and the swordfish weighs about 400 kilograms. But these figures can vary quite a lot; the length of some individuals reaches 4.5 meters, and they weigh 650 kilograms.

The largest swordfish was caught in 1953 near the coast of Chile; it weighed 540 kilograms. The size of representatives of this species is influenced by the region where they live; individuals living in the Pacific Ocean are larger than their counterparts living in the Atlantic. The smallest swordfish live in the Mediterranean regions. Males are smaller than females.

Behavior and nutrition of swordfish

Swordfish feed on mackerel, sea ​​bass, herring, tuna, silver hake. All these fish live in upper layers water. Predators also hunt bottom inhabitants: crayfish and. Moreover, the amount of squid in the diet is quite significant.

The swordfish slashes large prey with its appendage and then swallows it, while small prey is swallowed whole. These predators swim quickly, the speed of 60 kilometers per hour is not the maximum for them, they can accelerate to 80 kilometers per hour.

Reproduction and lifespan

In the northern regions Pacific Ocean Swordfish spawn in the spring and summer, and at the equator the breeding season lasts throughout the year. For spawning, the water depth should be 70-75 meters and the temperature 23 degrees. IN Southern Hemisphere representatives of the species spawn from November to February. IN western regions In the Atlantic and Caribbean Seas, spawning is also largely year-round.

How larger sizes females, the more eggs she brings. One female can bring from 1 to 29 million eggs measuring 1.6-1.8 millimeters. Swordfish eggs are pelagic, that is, they rise to the surface of the water and do not remain at the bottom, like bottom eggs.

These fish begin to reproduce when their body length reaches 1.8-2 meters. These live Marine life on average 10-11 years.

Enemies of swordfish

Because the swordfish is large predator, That natural enemies he doesn't have much. Among mammals they are hunted

Which is also called swordtail (Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758) is a predatory marine fish. It belongs to the class ray-finned fish, subclass new-finned fish, infraclass bony fish, spiny-finned superorder, perciforme order, suborder swordfish, family swordfish, genus swordfish ( Xiphias). This is the only species in the genus.

Synonyms:

Phaethonichthys tuberculatus Nichols, 1923

Xiphias estara Phillipps, 1932

Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758

Xiphias emperor(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Xiphias kleinii Suckow, 1799

Xiphias thermomaicus Serbetis, 1951

Swordfish - description, structure, photo

Swordfish is a large inhabitant of the ocean, whose body size is about 3 meters, although some individuals reach a length of 4.55 m. The average weight of swordfish is about 400 kg, and individual individuals can weigh up to 537 kg (that’s how much the fish weighed , which was caught off the coast of Chile in 1953). Females are larger than males and live longer. The name of this unique predator quite accurately reflects its non-standard appearance: the long outgrowth of the maxillary bones, with its structure and size, really resembles a deadly weapon, a combat sword, the length of which is approximately a third of the length of its owner (1-1.5 meters).

The main decoration and weapon of the swordfish is a significantly elongated snout, which is formed by modified maxillary bones and has the appearance of a flattened sharp sword. Interestingly, the swordfish’s weapon easily penetrates 2.5 cm thick metal and a 40-centimeter oak board, but the predator itself receives minimal injuries, and all thanks to the impressive fat layer - a natural shock absorber surrounding the base of the “sword”.

Swordfish die after being rammed only if their sword gets stuck tightly in the side and the predator cannot free itself. Dynamic calculations show that the impact force of an average swordfish is more than 4 tons.

Taken from: www.delphfishing.com

The mouth of the swordfish has a lower position, the mouth is wide, extending behind the eyes. Teeth grow exclusively in young fish; mature fish completely lose their teeth. Also, young fish up to 1 meter long have spines on their bodies. The longitudinal and transverse gill filaments of swordfish are connected and form a reticular plate.

The muscular, streamlined body of the predator is devoid of scales, and its shape resembles a torpedo. At the end of the caudal peduncle, well-developed crescent-shaped lateral carinae grow on both sides. The tail also has a crescent shape. Thanks to this structure, the speed of a swordfish when attacking can reach 130 km/h. Thus, the swordtail is ahead with its maximum speed of 112 km/h. This speed of sea fish overcoming the resistance of water causes bewilderment among ichthyologists, since it violates all existing laws of physics and mechanics.

Taken from the site: static1.1.sqspcdn.com

The dorsal and lateral fins of swordfish are not solid, like those of most fish, but are delimited by a wide gap into 2 parts. The front high dorsal fin is black, extends from the back of the head and looks like a sharp triangular blade. The remaining fins are brown with black-brown stripes. The rear small dorsal fin is located next to the tail symmetrically to the second anal fin. The pectoral fins of swordfish are located closer to the lower part of the body. The swordfish does not have pelvic fins.

The surface of the back of the swordfish is dark brown, but shimmers with a dark blue color, the sides are grayish-brown with a blue metallic tint, and the light brown belly shimmers with a silvery color. Vertical stripes are clearly visible on the body of young individuals, which disappear over time. The fish's eyes are bright blue.

Taken from: www.delphfishing.com

Taken from: www.sportfishingmag.com

Unlike other fish, swordtails cannot maintain a body temperature higher than the temperature of the water around them. But in the swordfish, in the area around the eyes, there is a special organ that can warm the blood flowing to the brain and eyes 15 degrees above the ambient temperature. Possessing this feature of improved vision, the predator easily finds potential prey at great depths, while remaining unnoticed.

Lifespan

On average, swordfish live for about 10-12 years.

Taken from: www.delphfishing.com

Swordfish is a true marine cosmopolitan that lives in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the world's oceans: the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. During the period of mass feeding migrations, predators often swim into the waters of temperate latitudes: for example, swordfish were observed in the uncharacteristic Sea of ​​Marmara, the Black and Azov Seas, where they come from the Mediterranean Sea basin. Fat-feeding swordfish are also found in cool areas of the Atlantic off the islands of Newfoundland and Iceland; individual specimens have been recorded in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. Thus, during mass feeding, swordfish can be observed in cool waters with a temperature of about + 12-15 degrees, but reproduction of swordfish is possible only when the water warms up to + 23.5 degrees.

Swordfish live in open ocean spaces far from the shore at a depth of about 600-800 meters, descending into the ocean to a maximum depth of 2878 meters. The swordtail is a solitary hunter, and even during mass migrations to feeding areas, predators do not gather in flocks, but remain at a respectful distance, maintaining 10 to 100 m of personal space.

What does swordfish eat?

Swordfish are a dangerous predator and an excellent hunter; the diet of adults includes many different species of fish and shellfish. Not having any special dietary preferences, swordfish eats almost everything that comes its way. The predator feeds on small species of fish that are found near the surface, medium-sized semi-deep-sea fish, often hunts at considerable depths and easily copes with large predators like. Once off the coast, swordfish do not disdain bottom fish and shellfish. The typical diet of swordfish includes squid (heavily), as well as mackerel, mackerel, herring, tuna, sea bass, anchovies, hake and crustaceans.

Unlike fish from the family of marlin and sailfish, whose spear-shaped outgrowth on the muzzle performs exclusively hydrodynamic functions, the weapon of a swordfish is a real deadly weapon, capable of piercing or cutting a victim in half. The sea swordfish swallows its prey whole or chops it into pieces.

Taken from the site: www.georgepoveromo.com

Reproduction of swordfish

Swordfish, which live in equatorial waters, the Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean, spawn year-round. Spawning of the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean is confined to the spring-summer season, when the water at a depth of about 75 m warms up to 23 degrees. Representatives of the southern hemisphere population breed from November to February.

Swordfish are one of the most prolific fish species, and the larger the female, the more eggs she spawns. Swordfish reaches sexual maturity at 5-6 years of age with a body length of about 1.4 - 1.7 m. A female swordfish weighing about 68 kg can produce an average of 16 million eggs, and particularly fertile individuals spawn up to 29 million. caviar.

Egg throwing occurs in the open sea, the eggs are quite large, 1.5-1.8 mm in diameter, surrounded by a large fat capsule. Swordfish eggs are pelagic; they do not sink to the bottom, but remain to develop under the surface of the water.

The swordfish fry that are born are significantly different in appearance from their parents. They don't have a sword yet, but their mouths are full of teeth. The dorsal and anal fins are not yet divided into parts, and the entire body is covered with rows of rough scales with small sharp spines. At first, swordfish fry live at the very surface of the water, not descending to a depth of more than 2-3 m, and feed mainly on zooplankton.

The predatory instinct awakens early, and already at a length of 1 cm, swordfish fry begin to eat small species of fish. Juveniles grow quite quickly, becoming similar to their parents, and by the end of 1 year of their existence, the average size of the fish is 0.5 - 0.6 m, and at the age of 3 years, swordfish grows to 1-1.2 m in length. At three years of age, most young swordfish move to the border waters of tropical latitudes, where they continue to intensively feed, grow and develop.

More than 160 years ago, in 1856, the British Insurance Company introduced a mandatory clause in the contract for compensation for damage in the event of an attack. It still remains a mystery to scientists why this creature attacks fishing boats and even large ships with unprecedented hatred, leaving deep cracks and holes.

Or out of hostility towards everything around them, splashing out natural aggression, or they don’t have time to stop, typing higher speed. According to one version, predatory animals confuse them with large fish. However, all assumptions have not yet found their scientific confirmation.

The consummate sprinter

The swordfish is the most powerful specimen on the planet; it moves faster than the cheetah itself. Moreover, the terrestrial predator, encountering only air resistance, covers only short distances at a speed of 110 km/h. The inhabitant of the ocean depths reaches record levels that even light airplanes and birds are not capable of.

It overcomes the water column at 140 km/h, moving like this for quite a long time. Five meters long, low energy consumption, only 360 horsepower - ichthyologists are perplexed as to what makes it possible to move so quickly towards the goal.

Russian shipbuilder A.N. Krylov, having seen a piece of a broken hull of a sailing ship in a museum, decided for the first time to calculate the power of this predator. The mathematical calculations were discouraging. The 56 centimeter thickness of the skin suffered from a 4-ton impact.

Nature generously rewarded the living torpedo. In the world it is considered one of the most fast fish. Everything about this individual is designed to move at its maximum level, gliding through the water without encountering any resistance:

• Naked, scaleless, muscular, streamlined body;
• Crescent tail;
• A unique nose that cuts through the ocean layers.

Real rapier

It was thanks to the latter that the animal received such an accurate name. This is the only sword of its kind - a fish. The flat, long sword-like snout is nothing more than a modified upper jaw formed by the nasal bones.

They resemble a saber blade, and reach 1/3 of the length of the entire body, approximately 1.5 meters. A good fat layer at the base of the outgrowth and its flattened shape are natural shock absorbers that allow you to “mutilate” the metal, but not suffer yourself. Swordfish die only if the spear is thoroughly stuck in the side.

This is not only a tool for easily gliding through the water, but also a deadly weapon for food. A favorite hunting place is fish schools. Once you get there, all living things will be chopped up and mutilated. Then the predator will only have to swallow the prey.

Swordfish mainly feast on squid, crustaceans and small fish. They often find mutilated large relatives, including sharks and whales, although they do not feed on the latter. This can be done easily due to its enormous mass and size.

1. They usually grow up to three meters. The largest representative, to date, stretched to 4.55.
2. The average weight of swordtails is about 450 kg. A large specimen weighing 650 kg was caught.

Ray-feathered appearance

The pelvic fins are absent, the two dorsal fins are divided into two parts, when in most fish they are solid. The first begins immediately at the back of the head. Tall and sharp, it splits the water surface, leaving a massive foamy trail. The second little one perched near the tail. Shades from dark to light brown with a blue metallic tint adorn the back and sides, and the belly is silver.

And why should she disguise herself when she herself is one of the most bloodthirsty fish. The wide mouth is devoid of teeth. Young swordtails can boast of them, but mature representatives cannot. On average, life expectancy is up to 11 years. The oldest fish ever caught is 16 years old. Females live longer than males.

Rare organ

The adjective unique always sounds in relation to sword fish and there is no escape from it. This creature is cold-blooded. But in her head there is a specific organ that warms the blood flowing to the brain and eyes. Here the temperature exceeds the environment by 10 -15 °C. This significantly increases reaction speed and allows you to hunt productively in deeper cover.

Home for the Predator

They can be found in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. But during food migrations for feeding, they move far to northern latitudes. It can exist in a cool environment, but always returns home for the winter. It was also seen off the coast of Iceland, in the Barents and Azov Seas.
They stay away from the shore, at a depth of 700 - 800 meters. During the day they descend into colder layers up to 3,000 meters.

Offspring

They are able to reproduce all year round, but on the condition that the water temperature is more than 23 degrees. They reach sexual maturity at 4–5 years. Baby swordtails look nothing like their parents, with teeth and spines all over their bodies. They feed on plankton, trying not to go deeper than 3–4 meters.

But already at a centimeter age they feast on small fish. They are growing very actively. They can boast half a meter in length per year. It looks like an ordinary little guy, devoid of a sword. But gradually growing up to a meter, his nasal bone stretches, and his teeth fall out.

Enemies

It's hard to believe that a large predatory fish would have these. They are attacked by killer whales and black-nose sharks. But the most devoted fan of the individual remains man. Its meat is devoid of large bones, has no specific smell and is considered a delicacy. The swordfish, which was filmed in 2001, became famous on screen. The brave and indomitable nature of the predator was passed on to the main character, where he emptied secret accounts at record speed.

Video review of sword fish: