Marlin
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? Marlin |
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 Striped
marlin
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Species
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| Istiophorus
albicans Istiophorus platypterus Makaira nigricans Tetrapturus albidus |
The marlin is a large game fish. It has an elongated body, up to 2.5 m long, a spearlike snout, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forwards to form a crest. Marlins are fast swimmers, occurring in all seas and hunting small and large fish.
The larger species include the blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, which have been reliably recorded in excess of 5.0 m in length and 1800 lbs (820 kg) in weight, and black marlin, Makaira indicans, which have been reliably recorded in excess of 5.0 m in length and 1470 lbs (670 kg) in weight. They are popular sporting fishes in certain tropical areas and are also commercially important as a food fish.
A marlin is a primary character in Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.