528 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Chapman, 1951:238 (Java, Zanzibar, Seychelles, 



Muscat, coast of New South Wales, Hawaii), 



3,900-mm. specimen. 

 Makaira herscheli, Smith, 1950:315, fig. 875 (South 



Africa); Rosa, 1950:139 (South Africa); Smith, 



1956a:26, pis. 1 and 2 (South Africa). 

 The Tetrapturus australis, Anon., in Whitley, 1955:292. 



Makaira audax (Philippi) 



Striped Marlin 



Makajiki "True Marlin" or Akakajiki "Red 

 Marlin" (Japan) 



Distinguishing characteristics 



This marlin in the familiar sizes of 100 to 200 

 pounds is readily distinguishable from either 

 marlina or ampla by its higher first dorsal fin and 

 slenderer, more compressed body. The first 

 dorsal is higher in the anterior lobe, where its 

 height is usually more than the greatest body 

 depth, as well as in the middle where the rays 

 range from 8 to 15 cm. with an average length of 

 10 cm. The vertical bars on the sides, which 

 are probably always present and usually promi- 

 nent, provide the obvious vernacular name. 



The considerable allometric growth, however, 

 has led to the confusion of very large and very 

 small specimens with other species. The very 

 large specimens tend to become thicker and 

 broader through the pectoral region and the 

 height of the anterior lobe of the first dorsal 

 may be as little as 90 percent of the greatest body 

 depth. They may closely resemble the slenderer 

 specimens of ampla which sometimes have promi- 

 nent stripes. This has caused anglers in Hawaii 

 and perhaps elsewhere to identify 400- to 700- 

 pound specimens of ampla as audax. 



Among the very small audax, the high middle 

 dorsal fin has led to the description of the species 

 formosana and grammatica, and even of Tetrap- 

 turus ectenes. The pronounced negative growth 

 of the mid-dorsal fin as shown in figure 7 provides 

 evidence that these high-finned forms are merely 

 young audax, and not a distinct species. All 

 those we have seen can be separated from Tetrap- 

 turus by the stripes and the snout which is about 

 twice as long as the mandible. Occasionally, 

 however, the high median dorsal rays are retained 

 in medium-sized adults off California and off 



Mexico (Carl L. Hubbs and Robert L. Wisner, 



personal communication). 



Color 



Audax is generally deep metallic blue above 

 with white belly and prominent vertical stripes 

 on the sides when captured. The blues fade 

 after death and in a few hours the predominant 

 color is a dark blue gray or lead gray broken by 

 faded but persistent stripes. The number of 

 stripes in POFI specimens varied from 10 to 21, 

 but frequently the count was uncertain because 

 of the tendency for alternate stripes to be faint. 



The Japanese name akakajiki "red marlin" 

 arises from the pink flesh, according to Nakamura 

 (1951), who stated that it is especially valued for 

 Sashimi, or raw fish, because of its fine appearance 

 and flavor. In the specimens from equatorial 

 waters we have noticed that some are pink fleshed, 

 others are not. We have no explanation for the 

 difference. 

 Distribution in the Pacific 



The striped marlin has been taken by the 

 Japanese longline fleet (Ueyanagi 1954b) almost 

 everywhere they have fished. This includes the 

 equatorial waters, east from Borneo to about 

 155° W. longitude, along the coasts of Java and 

 Sumatra in the Indian Ocean, off northeastern 

 New Guinea, along the coast of Asia north to 

 the East China Sea and along the outer coast of 

 Japan north as far as 44° N. latitude. In addi- 

 tion, POFI vessels have taken it through most 

 of the equatorial area east to 110° W. longitude, 

 and north of Hawaii to nearly 35° N. latitude 

 (fig. 26). It has previously been reported off the 

 coast of the Americas from southern California to 

 northern Chile and off New Zealand and Australia 

 (Rosa 1950). 



The concentrations suggest that audax prefers 

 the more temperate waters, however. The best 

 grounds for the Japanese longline fleet have been 

 sketched by Ueyanagi (1954b) who showed two 

 areas east of Formosa roughly between 20° and 

 30° N. latitude, one of them from 128° to 135° E. 

 longitude, the other from 140° to 170° E. longi- 

 tude. Both of these areas are best from March to 

 June. A little later in the season from August to 

 November the best grounds are east of Japan, 

 roughly from 34° to 40° N. latitude, 145° to 175° 

 E. longitude. Other, lesser concentrations are 

 located immediately off the coast of Japan, just 



