longbill spearfish

Tetrapturus pfluegeri

Open Water Hunter of Squid

Tropical
Offshore
Regional distribution
Marine fish
Atlantic Ocean
Elongated
Large
Tropical fish

The longbill spearfish (Tetrapturus pfluegeri) is a species of marlin native to the Atlantic Ocean where it is found above the thermocline in open waters between 40°N and 35°S. This species can reach a length of 254 centimetres (100 in) FL and the maximum weight recorded is 58 kilograms (128 lb). It feeds on pelagic fishes such as needlefish, tuna, and jack, as well as squids. They spawn once a year.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Jacks, Flatfishes, Barracudas, and Allies
Family: Istiophoridae
Genus: Tetrapturus
Maximum length: 254 cm
Water: Marine
Body shape: elongated
Distribution: Atlantic Ocean: widely distributed in offshore waters, much more densely so in the western than in the eastern Atlantic. Highly migratory species.
Conservation status: LCLeast Concern

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