Gabriel Shear
Search results
The swordfish (Xiphias gladius), also known as the broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood.
Learn all about the Swordfish, or Xiphias gladius in our comprehensive guide. We’ll go over this marine specie’s habitat, diet, lifespan, and more! About Us
Mar 3, 2022 · Learn about swordfish, one of the fastest and most powerful predatory fish in the ocean, with long and flat bills. Find out how they avoid schools, reproduce, survive in different temperatures and cope with climate change.
Swordfish, (Xiphias gladius), prized food and game fish, probably the single species constituting the family Xiphiidae (order Perciformes), found in warm and temperate oceans around the world. The swordfish, an elongated, scaleless fish, has a tall dorsal fin, and a long sword, used in slashing at.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Swordfish are expert fencers. The elongated, flattened rostrum of the swordfish is a precision weapon which can be slashed with deadly accuracy. Swordfish use their swords to knock fast, agile prey off balance during high speed chases, incapacitating them for easy consumption.
- The need for speed has driven their evolution. In order to outmanoeuvre their prey, swordfish have evolved a body plan that prioritises swimming performance above all else.
- They secrete drag-reducing oils from their heads. Swordfish have a specialised organ near the base of their rostrum that produces unique hydrophobic oils.
- They are one of the fastest fish in the world. This has been debated, but it’s generally accepted that the max recorded speed of a swordfish has been 64kph or 40mph, making it one of the fastest fish in the sea.
Swordfish have a meter-long saber on their face that helps them hunt and migrate across the globe. Learn how they use their eyesight, endothermy and diving skills to dominate the pelagic realm.
Learn about swordfish, a large, highly migratory predatory fish with a long, flat, pointed bill. Find out their distribution, habitat, diet, mating habits, population status and more on Animalia.bio.
