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Specy

Swordfish

Fish

The swordfish is a large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, named for its long, flat, sword-like bill formed from an extension of the upper jaw, used to slash through schools of prey fish and squid before circling back to consume the injured or stunned victims. It is among the fastest fish in the ocean, with a streamlined, scaleless body as an adult and a highly efficient circulatory adaptation that keeps its eyes and brain warmer than the surrounding water, sharpening its vision during deep, cold dives in pursuit of prey. Swordfish are solitary, highly migratory fish that can dive to great depths during the day and rise closer to the surface at night, and they are a major target of commercial and recreational fisheries worldwide, with some regional stocks subject to careful management following historical overfishing concerns.

Facts

Classification

Diet

Carnivore 1

System (Realm)

Marine 2

Relationship to People

Hunted or Fished 1

Living or Extinct

Yes 3

Identification

Distinguishing Appearance

Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. They commonly reach 3 m (10 ft) in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m in length and 650 kg (1,430 lb) in weight. 1

Comparison

NatureServe Rank

G5 Secure 4

CITES Appendix

Not Listed 5

Scientific Name

Xiphias gladius 1

Conservation Status

Near Threatened 1

Connections

Child Taxon Of

Source Swordfish (Wikidata)

In Biome

Source Swordfish (Wikipedia)

In Ecosystem

Source Swordfish (Wikipedia)

In the Other Atlases

Found In

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Antigua and Barbuda

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Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Dominican Republic

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Federated States of Micronesia

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Republic of the Congo

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United Arab Emirates

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Sources

1. Swordfish (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia Foundation

Lead sentence, scientific name in parentheses
The swordfish (Xiphias gladius), also known as the broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, sword-like, pointed bill.
Introduction
Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fish are found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and can typically be found from near the surface to a depth of 550 m (1,800 ft), and exceptionally up to depths of 2,878 m (9,442 ft). They commonly reach 3 m (10 ft) in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) in length and 650 kg (1,430 lb) in weight.
Lead section
They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category
explicitly described as large highly migratory predatory fish
Infobox: status
NT
In Biome: Marine, Wikipedia 'Swordfish': found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
In Ecosystem: Sargasso Sea, Breeding
In the North Atlantic, spawning is known from the Sargasso Sea, and in water warmer than 23 °C (73 °F) and less than 75 m (246 ft; 41 fathoms) deep.

View the Source

2. GBIF Species API

GBIF Species APIView the Source

3. Swordfish (Wikidata)

Wikidata

Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): near threatened.
Child Taxon Of: Perciformes, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain

View the Source

4. NatureServe Explorer: Xiphias gladius

NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)

Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)

"roundedGRank": "G5"

View the Source

5. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Perciformes

UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 96

Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 96

"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/D/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Chordata","class":"Actinopteri","order":"Perciformes","family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"鲈形目","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]

View the Source

Wikidata: Swordfish

Wikidata Q164327, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source

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