Sailfish : Istiophorus ablicansHanna Hetrick

ClassificationKingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Chordata

Class - Actinopterygii

SizeWeigh up to 90 kilograms (200 pounds)

Usually 3 meters (9.8 feet) in lengthCan grow up to 11 feet

HabitatWarm and temperate water in the oceans

Stay along the surface only occasionally diving lower into the water

DistributionFound in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Found approximately 40 degrees North and 40 degrees South in the Pacific and 50 degrees North and 32 degrees South In the EASTERN Atlantic Ocean

EvolutionEvolved about 230 million years ago and

continue, along with the rest of ray-fined fish, to dominant the ocean

Feeding HabitsGlide along the surface or mid-depth eating

schools of fish such as anchovies and sardines

Herd the schools of fish with their sails aiding them to keep them close, making easy prey

Occasionally eating octopus and squid

Breeding HabitsSpawning season is thought to be in the

warmer summer months and taken place in shallower waters

The female will release up to a million eggs and the male will fertilize them although only 6 to 10 will make it to adulthood. The eggs hatch in about 36 hours.

Number of SpeciesTwo species of sailfish

Atlantic sailfishIndo-Pacific sailfish

Many related species such as Makaira and Tetrapturus (9 species in total)

StatisticsCan swim up to 68 miles per hour

Can grow up to 1.2 to 1.5 meters in a single year

Human UseHumans mainly use the fish for personal use

such as trophy fishing

Some eat the fish but since the meat is so tough, it is usually smoked

Interesting FactsSailfish only live to be about 4 years old

The “sail” on a sailfish is usually folded down, but rises whenever it is excited or threatened

Quiz1. How large can a sailfish grow to be?2. Where is a sailfish located?3.What do sailfishes primarily feed on?4. How many species of sailfish are there? 5. What are some of the purposes of their

“sail”?

Answers1. 9.8 to 11 feet2. Atlantic or Indo-Pacific (warm or

temperate waters)3. Anchovies and Sardines4. Two5. Two ward of predators, show excitement,

to help herd fish to feed