Common names from other countries
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Carangiformes (Jacks) >
Istiophoridae (Billfishes)
Etymology: Tetrapturus: Greek, tetra = four + Greek, pteron, fin, wing (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: George Butler Leacock supplied Lowe with the spearfish holotype and “…rendered valuable assistance to the cause of ichthyology of this island [Madeira]… …generally as well as in this instance. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Lowe.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 200 m (Ref. 43). Subtropical; 42°N - 29°S, 98°W - 18°E (Ref. 43)
Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea: Positively known only from Madeira, Sicily (Italy), Strait of Gibraltar, and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean off southern Portugal. Can be expected to range widely in the eastern and perhaps central North Atlantic. Central and eastern Atlantic records from Japanese longliner's data need clarification. Highly migratory species.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 184 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 43); 181.0 cm FL (female); max. published weight: 21.5 kg (Ref. 43); max. published weight: 21.5 kg
Further study is strongly needed to clarify the validity of this species. Probably oceanic. Length has been transferred from 'Body length' to FL (* 0.15).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Nakamura, I., 1985. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 5. Billfishes of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of marlins, sailfishes, spearfishes and swordfishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(5):65p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 43)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
CITES (Ref. 131153)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
115969): 14.3 - 19.1, mean 17.1 (based on 37 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5630 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00447 (0.00195 - 0.01025), b=3.14 (2.94 - 3.34), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).