Blue Marlin
Blue Marlin
2. Native to the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, blue marlins are among the most recognizable of all fish.
3. The way the blue marlin reproduces is by the larger female blue marlin lays millions of small eggs during the winter while in the south Atlantic.
4. After the eggs are laid it takes about a week to hatch.
5. The way the blue marlin reproduces is by the larger female blue marlin lays millions of small eggs during the winter while in the south Atlantic. After the eggs are laid it takes about a week to hatch.
6. What makes the blue marlin special is that they have four fins, two in the back and two in the front which helps them swim to about 60 miles per hour.
7. The blue marlin has a long bill that looks like a sword which helps defend from predators and helps them swim faster.
8. The male blue marlin can weigh up to 350lbs. The female blue marlin weighs anywhere from 1,200lbs to 4,500lbs
9. The female blue marlin can grow up to 14ft long, four times longer than the male blue marlin.
10. The blue marlin eats the frigate mackerel,the bullet tuna, and the skipjack tuna.
11. Man, the great white shark, and the shortfin mako shark are the biggest predators to the blue marlin by catching and eating them.
12. The Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), one of the largest billfsh species in the world, presents a formidable challenge to recreational fishermen. Many anglers consider catching a blue marlin to be the pinnacle of angling success.
13. The fish has brilliant colors, with bright cobalt blue on top, a silver-white belly and a series of colorful vertical stripes along the length of its body. Females can live more than 30 years, while males generally live no more than 18.
14. A blue marlin weighing more than 350 pounds is probably female; males are smaller. These fish are long-lived.
15. They grow rapidly early in life, but it takes about 30 years for a blue marlin to reach 1,000 pounds.
16. As apex predators, blue marlin play a critical role in the ocean ecosystem. They typically feed near the surface but sometimes travel to great depths in search of prey. They feed opportunistically on flying fish, small tuna and squid. Blue marlin are not schooling fish and are considered a rare and solitary species.
17. Vision concentrated in forward and backward directions. Billfish has larger than average eyes which don't improve visual acuity, but are better able to see while moving at high speeds. Adaptation for predator.
18. In billfishes (swordfish, marlin, sailfish) the superior rectus muscle of the eye has evolved into an exclusively heat generating structure that keeps the brain and eye warm.
19. They are also highly migratory and will follow warm ocean currents for thousands of kilometers. Blue marlins prefer the higher temperature of surface waters, feeding on mackerel and tuna, but will also dive deep to eat squid.
20. They are among the fastest fish in the ocean, and use their spears to slash through dense schools, returning to eat stunned and wounded victims.
21. Their meat is considered a delicacy, particularly in Japan, where it is served raw as sashimi.
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