SPEARFISHES OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC 



501 



12 3 



1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



METERS 



Figure 3. — The body proportions at 800 pounds of (a) Istiompax marlina and (b) Makaira ampla. 



fish landed at the Honolulu market and which, 

 undoubtedly, were caught within 200 miles of the 

 Hawaiian Islands. 



From many of the POFI specimens we obtained 

 notes on food and sexual condition, which are 

 summarized in the discussions under the species. 

 Also, for several specimens not listed in the ap- 

 pendix, length and weight data were obtained 

 which have been used together with listed observa- 

 tions to compute the length-weight relation. 



Considerable material on the weight of spear- 

 fishes landed at tlie Honohdu auction market has 

 also been made available by the Hawaiian Division 

 of Fish and Game. This consists of weights of 

 individual fish identified and recorded by dealers 

 who allowed their records to be copied. These 

 data show the range of sizes, seasonal trends, and 

 modal sizes landed in Honolulu. These weights 

 are slightly less than live weights, however, because 

 the swords, pectorals in marlina, and sometimes 

 the lobes of the tail are removed before delivery to 

 the market. Also large fish are frequently cut in 

 two or more pieces so that they have lost body 

 fluids. 



All measurements taken by POFI and by the 

 Hawaiian Division of Fish and Game have been 



obtained with sliding calipers read to the nearest 

 millimeter. All measurements are the shortest 

 straight line between the points specified. No 

 attempt was made to obtain offset measure- 

 ments parallel to the midline of the body. The 

 fish to be measured were laid on their sides in 

 as natm-al a position as possible with the jaws shut 

 and with the snout propped up so that the sword 

 was an extension of the midline of the body. 



The POFI measirrements were taken by people 

 accustomed to measuring tunas according to the 

 methods of Marr and Schaefer (1949). Where 

 applicable, the same methods were followed in 

 measuring the spearfishes, but certain morpho- 

 logical differences required special definition. The 

 orbit was measured instead of the uis and it was 

 measured parallel to the midline of tlie body. The 

 depth of the head was measured from the supra- 

 occipital (which may be felt easily) to the throat 

 on a line perpendicular to the midline of the body. 

 The heights of the first anal and fiist dorsal fins 

 were measured from the top of tlic fin sheath, and 

 the posterior end of the fin was considered to be 

 the end of the fin groove. The lengtli of the 

 mandible was measured from the tip to the 

 posterior end of the mandibular bone at the joint. 



