METHODS AND MATERIALS 



Sailfish taken by the sport fishery were examined 

 from May 1970 through September 1971. Weekly 

 visits to Pflueger Taxidermy in Hallandale and West 

 Palm Beach, and Reese Taxidermy in Fort Lauder- 

 dale, facilitated examination of moderate numbers of 

 specimens taken mainly from offshore Fort Pierce to 

 Miami (Fig. 4). Occasionally, specimens from 

 Georgia, Virginia, Bahamas, Florida Keys, and 

 Destin, Florida were also examined. 



Twenty-five to 35 fresh specimens were selected 

 each month from a size range representative of the 

 sport catch. Total, fork, standard, "body" 

 (Rivas, 1956). and "trunk" (de Sylva, 1957) lengths 

 were obtained to the nearest 0.5 cm with a 3 m 

 measuring board. Total weight was taken to the 

 nearest 0.2 kg, using a 68.0 kg capacity Chatillon 

 (Model 100)^ spring scale. Additional information 

 was recorded concerning position of hook, bait used 

 in capture, stomach contents, and presence of para- 

 sites 



Two or three anterodorsal fin spines from each 

 specimen were cleaned and placed in numbered en- 

 velopes. Spines were allowed to dry for several 

 months before sectioning with a No. 409 emery disk 

 (24.0 mm diameter x 0.5 mm thickness) mounted in a 

 high speed Dremel Moto Tool (Model 270) with 

 speed control (Model 219). This unit was mounted 

 on an aluminum platform. A spring-loaded battery 

 clamp was attached to a 180° rotating lever approxi- 

 mately 1 inch in front of the tool chuck. This securely 

 held each spine during sectioning. Two or three 

 cross sections were cut at 2.5 to 5.0 mm above the 

 expanded base (condyle) of each spine (Fig. 5). Each 

 section was then ground to approximately 0.75 mm 

 with a No. 85422 grinding stone at low speed. Spinal 

 sections were stored dry because water or glycerol 

 causes excessive clearing. During examinations, 

 however, spinal sections were temporarily im- 

 mersed in glycerol and examined with a binocular 

 dissecting microscope against a black background 

 under reflected light. Circuli in each section have 

 been counted once, but three additional independent 

 readings will be made later by two biologists without 

 reference to collection data. 



Gonadal condition was evaluated macroscopi- 

 cally and a sample of tissue was removed for his- 

 tological preparation. Gonadal tissue was initially 



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Figure 4. — Chart of southeast Florida showing area where 

 most sailfish were obtained (almost the entire catch was 

 taken between 10 and 100 fathoms). X"s indicate station 

 locations of monthly plankton and night-light collections. 

 Aperiodic daylight collecting trips were conducted 5 to 

 15 nautical miles north and south of Palm Beach. Arrows 

 indicate axis of Florida current; soundings in fathoms. 



' Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. 



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Figure 5. — Dorsal spine base, shaft and two sections after 

 cutting. 



preserved with Zenker's fixative. Tissue was rinsed 

 with tap water and stored in Lugol's solution 18 to 36 

 h after collection. It was necessary to thoroughly 

 leach out all fixative before final storage. At the St. 

 Petersburg laboratory, gonadal tissue was imbedded 

 in paraffin and sectioned at 6 ju . Slides were stained 

 with Papanicolaou Haematoxylin (Harris) and 

 Eosine Y, and with another stain developed by the 



83 



