Animal Unique | Striped Marlin | Widely distributed in the Pacific, Striped Marlin is the most common marlin in Istiophoridae family of a prized catch fish. It is known for his martial arts and has a reputation of spending more time in the air than in water connected, not the overall size and weight of the blue marlin or black marlin, it's more acrobatically inclined. Besides making long runs and tail-walking, the "greyhound" on the surface, performing a dozen or more long, graceful leaps. It is caught fairly close to the coast in the right waters.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Istiophoridae
Genus: Tetrapturus
Species: T. audax
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Istiophoridae
Genus: Tetrapturus
Species: T. audax
The most distinctive feature of Striped Marlin is the high, the first pointed dorsal fin, which is normally equal to or greater than the greatest depth body. Even in the most instances this fin at least 90 percent depth of the body. Like the dorsal, anal and pectoral fins pointed. They are also plane and displaceable, and can easily be folded flat against the sides, even after death. The sides highly compressed. The lateral line is straight, single and highly visible. The back is steel-blue fading to bluish silver on the upper flanks and white below the lateral line. There are a number of iridescent blue spots on the fins and light blue or lavender vertical stripes on the sides. These may not be prominent, but they are usually more prominent than those of other marlin, and they continue to exist after death, which is not always true in other Marlins.
One of the most interesting things about the Striped Marlinn is that it can actually change color. When a Striped Marlin excited, usually during feeding or the court, the bars on the regular blue to a phosphorescent blue or lavender. After a Striped Marlin dies, develops conspicuous stripes along the side of his body. But, the life of this species is poorly known. Striped Marlin are found in the warm blue waters of offshore environment, usually above the thermocline. They are usually solitary but may form schools according to size during spawning. They are usually present where there is plenty of forage.
The Striped Marlin is highly predatory, feeding extensively on sardines, anchovies, mackerel, Sauries, flying fish, squid, and what is there in abundance. The spear of the marlin is sometimes used as a tool for defense and capturing food. If it uses its bill in capturing food, the striped marlin sometimes stuns its prey by slashing sideways with the spear, instead of impaling his victim, as some believe. It is well known for his martial arts and has the reputation of spending more time in the air than in water after being hooked. Although it is not in danger, most researchers consider the Striped Marlin as "overfished." You can not farm marlin, so their numbers are not sustainable at the rate they are removed from the ocean.
Commercially fished for sushi and sashimi, Striped Marlins are also popular with anglers. Striped Marlins are notorious for their acrobatics when caught on a line. They can fight for an hour or more, jumping from the water and air. However, most of the fishermen of today let the marlin back to the ocean after a catch. The most common way to catch marlin by trolling with heavy gear. When struggling with a fish as big as a marlin, it's wise to include a harness, which gives you extra leverage and power.
The Striped Marlin has red meat and is the subject of extensive commercial fishing effort, especially by longlining. Many people throughout the Indo-Pacific range to hold his flesh in high regard, and it is best considered billfish for sashimi and sushi preparations. Heavy fishing pressure has led to reduced inventories, however, as is true for all billfish. Many anglers today to participate in a "tag and release" program in conjunction with marine life specialists and conservationists.
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