Genus: Tetrapturus, Spearfish Marlin, Marlins, Spearfishes
body highly compressed; nape low
sword round
sword round
D front lobe =/> body depth
anus well before A
LL: 1 obvious straight line
TETRAPTURUS
MARLINS, SPEARFISHES
Body highly compressed; bill rounded in cross section; adults with small teeth; nape not very high; 1st dorsal long based, low (height at level of mid-body < body depth), height of front lobe equal to or slightly > body depth, close to 2nd dorsal; pectoral fin moveable, can be pressed against body; pelvic fins ~same length as to longer than pectoral; 2 keels on side of tail base; tail fin large, strongly forked; anus well before origin of anal fin; lateral line single, obvious; body covered with densely imbedded, small, triangular scales that have several points.
A worldwide tropical to subtropical genus with 6 species; 1 pan-Atlantic species in our region.
