MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 2n 



The false albacore, Katsiiivonus alletteratus, belongs to none of these groups, 

 but is very closely related to the oceanic bonito. It has no ventral stripes. 



CUTLASS FISHES: Family Trichiuridae 



These degenerate eellike fishes are like mackerels in the appearance of the head, 

 but otherwise are very odd. The silvery to silvery brown color, the general lack 

 of fins, and the scaleless body identify them. Cutlass fishes can move swiftly 

 and strongly but usually keep to the bottom. 



They feed voraciously on other fishes. They are generally distributed in all 

 tropical seas and are excellent food. 



CUTLASS FISH (scABBARD FISH, siLVERFiSH, machete): Trichinuis lefhirus 



Size: Up to 5 feet but usually smaller. 



Distribution: West Indies to Virginia. West Coast north to southern California. 



Identification: Same as for the family. 



Habits: The authors have never seen this fish, but suspect that it might be 

 a very nasty customer to handle. Little seems to be known of it. It is not common 

 over most of its range but may be fairly plentiful near Puerto Rico where the 

 name "machete" is used for it. 



Vig. 107. Cutlass fish. 



SPEARFISHES: Family Istiophoridae 



All of the several species of spearfishes, sailfishes, marlins, and the related 

 'swordfishes are very large, very swift, pelagic fishes of wide distribution in 

 tropical and warm temperate Seas. Their speed and endurance is as great as that 

 of any fish. 



All have a long round spear or flat sword projecting out from the snout and 

 all are toothless or practically so. The dorsal fin of all except the swordfish can 

 fold down into a dorsal furrow. All are fish-eaters on the medium-sized schooling 

 kinds such as herrings or mackerel. It would be of great interest to see one of 

 these under water, though this would not be without its dangers; there is some 

 evidence that these very powerful fishes attack boats and sharks with their 

 spears when molested. None of them seems to be exactly even-tempered, and 

 they may even be listed as dangerous fishes. These are rather mysterious fish 

 even though they are not rare and are even common in places. Their manner 

 of feeding seems to be to approach a school of small fishes and to slash at it 

 with their spear. Then the stunned and mutilated prey are eaten at leisure. 



