The name "marlin" is common for fish, which belong to the family of the sailfish and the order of perch. In general, this includes eleven varieties, the main of which are such as Atlantic blue, blue, black, striped and white. Marlin fish (its photo is located below) can reach speeds of up to 130 km / h and is an active, ruthless predator. Among its distinctive characteristics should be called an elongated streamlined body and a head with a spear-shaped process. In size, it is the largest among all bone fish. Cases were recorded when the length of some individuals reached five meters. Marlin fish, regardless of variety, is considered an elite trophy in sport fishing. In most cases, she is photographed and released. Therefore, dishes from it belong to the category of delicacies, which are found mainly in expensive restaurants.
The most valuable in the whole family is black marlin fish . Her body is covered with many oblong small scales that are completely hidden under the skin. The dorsal fin consists of two different sized parts. The main, the first fin has a long base with spiky rays, and the second is short and is located closer to the tail. The pectoral fins are distinguished by the fact that they do not adhere to the body. The tail of this fish has a crescent shape and is formed by thin but extremely strong lobes. Jaw teeth are poorly developed. The weight of the marlin of the black variety is also large. Once a specimen was caught with a record weight, which amounted to 708 kilograms.
These fish are found mainly in the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in the Coral Sea, and also near the coast of Central America and Mexico. The predator feeds mainly on tuna and squid, less commonly on other large fish. At great depths he practically does not hunt. Marlin fish spawns mainly in the equatorial regions of the tropical strip. This process lasts throughout the year. At the same time, representatives of the family do not create large clusters and do not carry out systematic migrations. An interesting feature of this type of fish is breathing. The fact is that while under water, they swim with their mouths open. The water, which at that time passes through their gills, enriches the blood and the whole organism with oxygen.
Marlin fish, regardless of the subspecies, has high-value and very tasty meat. It is predominantly caught in the longline method (tuna is mined in the same way), or using a harpoon. In sport fishing, spinning is used. However, the fight with the giant, which got on the hook, is often long and difficult. The fish constantly tries to go into the depths, and sometimes even jumps high into the air. Among the avid fans of this sport, it should be noted Ernest Hemingway, to whom knowledge of the habits of the marlin and the intricacies of the process of catching them helped to write the story “The Old Man and the Sea”. Now everyone has the opportunity to see the stuffed fish by visiting the Museum of Natural History, which is located at the Washington Smithsonian Institute.