Scientific Name
Tetrapturus albidus

Common Name
Atlantic white marlin

Biology
Usually above the thermocline. Its distribution varies seasonally, reaching higher latitudes in both the northern and southern hemispheres only during the respective warm seasons. Usually found in deep (over 100 m) blue water with surface temperatures over 22?C and salinities of 35 to 37 ppt. Currents of 0.5 to 2 knots occur over much of its habitat. Feeds on fishes and squids. Females grow larger (Ref. 4770). Flesh is of excellent quality. Marketed fresh and frozen.

Classification

Classified By

Poey, 1860

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Billfishes (Istiophoridae)

Distribution

Region

Atlantic Ocean

Distribution

Atlantic Ocean: roughly from 45?N to 45?S in the southwestern Atlantic and 35?S in the southeastern Atlantic. Records from the Mediterranean Sea, and from Bretagne, France seem to correspond to a few straying individuals. Classified as 'reduced' (Ref. 12451). It is unclear whether there are two separate stocks or a single population in the Atlantic. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).

Range

47°N - 39°S, 99°W - 20°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

22 °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

150 m

Zone

pelagic-oceanic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 150 m (Ref. 43), usually 0 - 100 m (Ref. 55219)

Trophic Level

4.48 s.e. 0.71 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

300 cm

Common Length

210 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5161 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.58; assuming tm >=2)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated