THE SAILFISHES 



Family XXX V. IstiophoridiB 



Body elongate, much compressed, covered with elongate 

 scutes; bones of upper jaw consolidated into a sword, which is 

 roundish on the edges and spear-like, shorter than in Xiphias\ 

 jaws with small, persistent granular teeth; ventral fms of i or 2 

 rays each, attached to a pelvic arch; dorsal single or divided into 

 2 contiguous portions, the first much longer than the second, the 

 fin-rays distinct, the first rays of dorsal distinctly spinous; anal 

 divided, last rays of dorsal and anal suctorial; caudal peduncle 

 with 2 fleshy crests or keels; vertebrae 12 + 12=24, elongate, 

 hourglass-shaped; neural and haemal spines flag-like; ribs well 

 developed; air-bladder very large, sacculate, of numerous separate 

 divisions; intestine short, straight; gills reticulated as in Xiphias. 

 Two genera, with about 5 species, oceanic, similar in character 

 and habits to the swordfishes, but smaller in size. 



The genus Istiophorus contains a single species (I. nigricans), 

 known variously as sailfish, spikefish, boohoo, guebucu, voilier, 

 agula volador, etc. 



The sailfish occurs in the West Indies and warmer parts of 

 the Atlantic north to Key West and France. It is rather common 

 about the Florida Keys, and examples have been taken at New- 



291 



