Mediterranean spearfish (Tetrapturus belone)

Scientific name: Tetrapturus belone Rafinesque, 1810

The Mediterranean spearfish (Tetrapturus belone) is a marine fish of the family Istiophoridae.

Biology

This species is the most common istiophorid in the central basin of the Mediterranean and completes its life cycle inside this sea as far as is known to date. Probably swims in the upper 200 m water layer, generally above or within the thermocline. Travels in pairs, possibly corresponding to a feeding behavior. Feeds on fishes. Probably more widespread in the Mediterranean Sea and may have been identified as T. albidus by anglers and fishermen.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Tetrapturus belone
Family: Istiophoridae (Billfishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 240
Common length: 200
Depth range: 0–200 m (0–656 ft)
Environment: Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 200 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Mediterranean Sea: considerably abundant around Italy. No confirmed report from the Black Sea. No adults have been reported east of the Ionean Sea. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea. Reportedly caught from the Aegean Sea (Pennetti, pers. comm.).
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tmax>10)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026