Species: Tetrapturus angustirostris, Shortbill spearfish
nape low
short spear
pelvic =2X pectoral
pectoral: not rigid, can fold against side, pointed
Tetrapturus angustirostris Tanaka, 1915
Shortbill spearfish
Body very elongate, very compressed; bill very short, usually less than 15% of TL; adults with small teeth; nape not very high; high front dorsal rays form triangular peak, most of remaining part of fin relatively high, height of anterior lobe exceeding greatest body depth; first dorsal fin rays 45-50; second dorsal fin rays 6-7; first anal fin rays 12-15; second anal fin rays 6-8; pectoral rays 17-19, fin narrow and short (< 15% of body length), moveable, can be pressed against body; pelvic fins slender, filamentous, about twice the length of the pectorals; anus well before origin of anal fin; lateral line single, obvious; body covered with small, triangular scales.
Dark blue dorsally, blue blotched with brown laterally, and silvery white ventrally, without dots or bars; first dorsal fin dark blue; remaining fins dark brown.
Size: to 200 cm; IGFA record 36.8 kg.
Habitat: oceanic, pelagic.
Depth: 0-1830 m.
Tropical and temperate Indo-Pacific, entering eastern Atlantic (via Cape of Good Hope) but not spawning there. California to the mouth of the Gulf of California to Peru and the oceanic islands.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Offshore
- Offshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Near Surface
- Surface
- Mid Water
- Water column only
- Habitat
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- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- Pelagic crustacea
- Bony fishes
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Data
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic
- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- All Pacific (West + Central + East)
- "Transpacific" (East + Central &/or West Pacific)
- Indo-Pacific only (Indian + Pacific Oceans)
- TEP non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent + Island (s)
- Island (s)
- Eastern Pacific non-endemic
- All species
- Continent
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Data deficient
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 200
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 1830
