Family Istiophoridae - Billfishes | ||||
Order | : | Carangiformes | ||
Class | : | Teleostei | ||
No. in FishBase | : | Genera : 5 | Species : 11 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes | ||
Environment | : | Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes | ||
Division | : | Marine | ||
Aquarium | : | none | ||
First Fossil Record | : | upper Cretaceous | Ref. Berg, L.S. 1958 | |
Remark | : | Distribution: most tropical and subtropical waters. Premaxilla and nasal bones produced, forming a spear-like bill or rostrum with a rounded cross-section. Gill membranes not united to isthmus. Very narrow pelvic fins. Jaw teeth present. Two keels on each side of caudal peduncle in adults. Dorsal fin extending over much of body length; sometimes resembling a sail. Dorsal fin can be depresssed into a groove. Lateral line persists in life. Vertebrae 24. Maximum length 4 m. Bill used for stunning prey fish. The morphological adaptations required for maintaining high brain and retinal temperatures are discussed in Brock et al. 1993 Science 260:210-214. Very popular as game fish. | ||
Etymology | : | Greek, istion = sail + Greek, pherein = to carry ( Ref. 45335). | ||
Reproductive guild | : | nonguarders | ||
Typical activity level | : | very active | ||
Main Ref. | : | Nelson, J.S. 1984 | ||
Coordinator | : | |||
Deep Fin Classification | : | Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Acanthopterygii | Percomorphaceae | Carangaria | | | Istiophoriformes | | | Istiophoridae |
Important recommendation:
The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.
Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.
But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.
Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.
This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).
The list ordered as follows:
Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.
Scientifc name | Status | Senior/Junior synonym | Combination |
---|---|---|---|
Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw, 1792) | accepted | senior | new |
Xiphias platypterus Shaw, 1792 | synonym | senior | original |
Scomber gladius Bloch, 1793 | synonym | junior | original |
Histiophorus gladius (Bloch, 1793) | synonym | junior | new |
Istiophorus gladius (Bloch, 1793) | synonym | junior | new |
! Istiophorus gladus (Bloch, 1793) | synonym | junior | new |
Xiphias velifer Bloch & Schneider, 1801 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus gladifer Lacepède, 1801 | synonym | junior | original |
Histiophorus immaculatus Rüppell, 1830 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus immaculatus (Rüppell, 1830) | synonym | junior | new |
Histiophorus indicus Cuvier, 1832 | synonym | junior | original |
Histiophorus orientalis Temminck & Schlegel, 1844 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844) | synonym | junior | new |
Istiophorus triactis Klunzinger, 1871 | synonym | junior | original |
! Histiophorus dubius Bleeker, 1872 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus dubius Bleeker, 1872 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus japonicus Jordan & Thompson, 1914 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus eriquius Jordan & Ball, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus greyi Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus gladius greyi Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | change in rank |
! Istiophorus greyii Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus brookei Fowler, 1933 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus ludibundus Whitley, 1933 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus amarui Curtiss, 1944 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus albicans (Latreille, 1804) | accepted | senior | new |
Makaira albicans Latreille, 1804 | synonym | senior | original |
Histiophorus albicans (Latreille, 1804) | synonym | senior | new |
Makaira velifera Cuvier, 1832 | synonym | junior | original |
Histiophorus americanus Cuvier, 1832 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus americanus (Cuvier, 1832) | synonym | junior | new |
Histiophorus pulchellus Cuvier, 1832 | synonym | junior | original |
Skeponopodus guebucu Nardo, 1833 | synonym | junior | original |
Histiophorus granulifer Castelnau, 1861 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus wrighti Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus maguirei Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus volador Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiophorus platypterus (non Shaw & Nodder, 1792) | misapplied | misapplied | new |
Xiphias velifer (non Bloch & Schneider, 1801) | misapplied | misapplied | original |
Makaira nigricans Lacepède, 1802 | accepted | senior | original |
Makaira nigricans nigricans Lacepède, 1802 | synonym | senior | change in rank |
! Maikaira nigricans Lacepède, 1802 | synonym | senior | original |
Xiphias ensis Lacepède, 1800 | ambiguous | questionable | original |
Makaira ensis (Lacepède, 1800) | ambiguous | questionable | new |
Tetrapturus herschelii Gray, 1838 | synonym | junior | original |
Histiophorus herschelii (Gray, 1838) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira herschelii (Gray, 1838) | synonym | junior | new |
Tetrapturus amplus Poey, 1860 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira ampla (Poey, 1860) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira ampla ampla (Poey, 1860) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira nigricans ampla (Poey, 1860) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira bermudae Mowbray, 1931 | synonym | junior | original |
Orthocraeros bermudae (Mowbray, 1931) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira perezi de Buen, 1950 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira mazara (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) | accepted | senior | new |
Makaira ampla mazara (Jordan & Schneider, 1901) | synonym | senior | new |
Tetrapturus mazara Jordan & Snyder, 1901 | synonym | senior | original |
Istiompax mazara (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) | synonym | senior | new |
Makaira nigricans mazara (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) | synonym | senior | new |
Eumakaira nigra Hirasaka & Nakamura, 1947 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira nigra (Hirasaka & Nakamura, 1947) | synonym | junior | new |
Istiompax howardi Whitley, 1954 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira nigricans (non Lacepède, 1802) | misapplied | misapplied | original |
Tetrapturus belone Rafinesque, 1810 | accepted | senior | original |
Histiophorus belone (Rafinesque, 1810) | synonym | senior | new |
Makaira belone (Rafinesque, 1810) | synonym | senior | new |
! Tetraplurus belone Rafinesque, 1810 | synonym | senior | original |
! Tetrapterurus belone Rafinesque, 1810 | synonym | senior | original |
! Tetrapterus belone Rafinesque, 1810 | synonym | senior | original |
Skeponopodus typus Nardo, 1833 | synonym | junior | original |
Scheponopodus prototypus Canestrini, 1872 | synonym | junior | original |
Tetrapturus georgii Lowe, 1841 | accepted | senior | original |
! Tetrapturus georgei Lowe, 1841 | synonym | senior | original |
Tetrapturus angustirostris Tanaka, 1915 | accepted | senior | original |
Pseudohistiophorus angustirostris (Tanaka, 1915) | synonym | senior | new |
! Tetrapterus angustirostris Tanaka, 1915 | synonym | senior | original |
Tetrapturus illingworthi Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Pseudohistiophorus illingworthi (Jordan & Evermann, 1926) | synonym | junior | new |
Tetrapturus kraussi Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Tetrapturus pfluegeri Robins & de Sylva, 1963 | accepted | senior | original |
! Tetrapterus pfluegeri Robins & de Sylva, 1963 | synonym | senior | original |
Tetrapterus belone (non Rafinesque, 1810) | misapplied | misapplied | original |
Tetrapturus belone (non Rafinesque, 1810) | misapplied | misapplied | original |
Tetrapturus beloni (non Rafinesque, 1810) | misapplied | misapplied | misapplied |
Istiompax indica (Cuvier, 1832) | accepted | senior | new |
Tetrapturus indicus Cuvier, 1832 | synonym | senior | original |
Istiomax indicus (Cuvier, 1832) | synonym | senior | new |
Istiompax indicus (Cuvier, 1832) | synonym | senior | new |
Makaira indica (Cuvier, 1832) | synonym | senior | new |
! Maikaira indica (Cuvier, 1832) | synonym | senior | new |
! Makaira indicus (Cuvier, 1832) | synonym | senior | new |
! Tetrapterus australis Macleay, 1854 | synonym | other | original |
Makaira australis (MacLeay, 1854) | ambiguous | other | new |
Tetrapturus australis Macleay, 1854 | synonym | other | original |
! Histiophorus brevirostris Playfair, 1867 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiompax brevirostris (Playfair, 1867) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira brevirostris (Playfair, 1867) | synonym | junior | new |
Tetrapturus brevirostris (Playfair, 1867) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira marlina Jordan & Hill, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Istiompax marlina (Jordan & Hill, 1926) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira ampla marlina Jordan & Hill, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira marlina marlina Jordan & Hill, 1926 | synonym | junior | change in rank |
Makaira nigricans marlina Jordan & Hill, 1926 | synonym | junior | change in rank |
Marlina marlina (Jordan & Hill, 1926) | synonym | junior | new |
! Makaira malina Jordan & Hill, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
! Makaira marhina Jordan & Hill, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
! Malina malina (Jordan & Hill, 1926) | synonym | junior | new |
Istiompax australis Whitley, 1931 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira nigricans tahitiensis Nichols & La Monte, 1935 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira ampla tahitiensis Nichols & LaMonte, 1935 | synonym | junior | change in species |
Makaira marlina tahitiensis Nichols & LaMonte, 1935 | synonym | junior | change in species |
Makaira mazara tahitiensis Nichols & LaMonte, 1935 | synonym | junior | change in species |
Istiompax dombraini Whitley, 1954 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira xantholineata Deraniyagala, 1956 | synonym | junior | original |
! Makaira herscheri (non Gray, 1838) | misapplied | misapplied | misapplied |
Kajikia audax (Philippi, 1887) | accepted | senior | new |
Histiophorus audax Philippi, 1887 | synonym | senior | original |
Istiophorus audax (Philippi, 1887) | synonym | senior | new |
Makaira audax (Philippi, 1887) | synonym | senior | new |
Marlina audax (Philippi, 1887) | synonym | senior | new |
Tetrapturus audax (Philippi, 1887) | synonym | senior | new |
! Tetrapterus audax (Philippi, 1887) | synonym | senior | new |
Tetrapturus mitsukurii Jordan & Snyder, 1901 | synonym | junior | original |
Kajikia mitsukurii (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira mitsukurii (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) | synonym | junior | new |
Marlina mitsukurii (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira zelandica Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira audax zelandica Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | change in rank |
Marlina zelandica (Jordan & Evermann, 1926) | synonym | junior | new |
Makaira grammatica Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira holei Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Tetrapturus ectenes Jordan & Evermann, 1926 | synonym | junior | original |
Kajikia formosana Hirasaka & Nakamura, 1947 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira formosana (Hirasaka & Nakamura, 1947) | synonym | junior | new |
Tetrapturus tenuirostratus Deraniyagala, 1951 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira tenuirostratus (Deraniyagala, 1951) | synonym | junior | new |
! Tetrapturus acutirostratus Deraniyagala, 1951 | synonym | junior | original |
Marlina jauffreti Smith, 1956 | synonym | junior | original |
Kajikia albida (Poey, 1860) | accepted | senior | new |
Tetrapturus albidus Poey, 1860 | synonym | senior | original |
Lamontella albida (Poey, 1860) | synonym | senior | new |
Makaira albida (Poey, 1860) | synonym | senior | new |
! Tetrapterus albidus Poey, 1860 | synonym | senior | original |
Tetrapturus lessonae Canestrini, 1861 | synonym | junior | original |
Makaira lessonae (Canestrini, 1861) | synonym | junior | new |
Tetrapterus imperator (non Bloch & Schneider, 1801) | misapplied | misapplied | new |
Tetrapturus belone (non Rafinesque, 1810) | misapplied | misapplied | original |