have been exposed to the air for a long time and from which the slime has completely been 

 removed, the dorsal surface is sometimes seen to show vestigial pale transverse bands. 



Habits 



This species is the most abundant around this island, being particularly numerous early 

 in the fishing season. Its distribution appears to be comparatively restricted to coastal areas 

 and it is rather rare off shore. At tinnes when the direction of the wind changes suddenly and 

 the monsoon begins to blow strongly, there appears to be a particular increase in the number of 

 these fish rising to the surface, and during such weather the spearfish catch of the harpoon boats 

 is usually made up almost entirely of this species. 



The Makaira marlina recorded by Jordan and Evermann was based on a photograph and 

 can hardly be said to be satisfactory. Its distribution is given as the Pacific coast of Mexico 

 from Cape San Lucas south. In its skeleton aind in its form this species differs conspicuously 

 from the other species of the genus Makaira, particularly marked differences appearing in the 

 construction of the pectoral fins, the form of the pectoral girdle, and the morphology of the pelvic 

 girdle. It may even be thought proper to establish a separate genus in which to place this species. 

 It is the author's intention to take up this point when further studies have been carried out in the 

 future. This is a new species for Japan. In accordance with the usage of the commercial fisher- 

 men I have given it the name shirokajiki or white nnarlin. 



Family Xiphiidae, mekajiki family 



This family has one genus with one species, which is universal in distribution. 



6) Xiphias gladius L.inne, mekajiki /broadbill swordfish/. Tsun (Suo, Keelung, Takao); Formosan 

 names T >|§^^ :^ j| (Su5); ^~<^ 1 ^ (KeelungJ. 



Plate 15, figure 2 



Xiphias gladius -- Jordan and Evermann. Occ. Papers Calif. Acad. Sci. XII, p. 71, 1926. 



Tanaka, Shigeo. Japanese Ichthyology, Vol. I, p. 375, 1921. 



Morphology - D. lU, 9, XXVI, 4. A. II, 7, IX-X, 4. Vertebrae-26 (16+ 10) 



Body approximately cylindrical, snout very long, one pair of large keels on the caudal 

 peduncle. Caudal peduncle somewhat flattened horizontally. The body length is 1.85 times the 

 head length, 5. 18 times the body depth (a), and 5.92 times the body depth (b). The ratio of the 

 lengths of the upper and lower jaws is 3. 79, and the head length is 8. 69 times the interorbital 

 space. The dorsal fin is high, being in the ratio of 1. 07 with the body depth, and the pectoral 

 fins are short, being in the ratio of 1.32 with the body depth. The second dorsal and second anal 

 fins are small, the caudal fin is large with both its upper and lower lobes rather broad and their 

 cingle small; the ventral fins are lacking. 



The upper jaw is hollow in the center; the maxillary, premaxillary, and nasals are all 

 strongly fused together and all reach to the tip of the snout. The form of this snout differs 

 strikingly from that of the fishes of the family Istiophoridae. The form of the rest of the skeleton 

 is also completely different, so that comparison with the istiophorid fishes is difficult. The body 

 cavity is short and spacious, and the air bladder is single-chambered and large. 



The coloration is a dark blackish brown on the dorsal surface and rather yellowish on the 

 ventral surface. The boundary line between these two types of coloration is not as well marked 

 as it is in the istiophorid fishes, the color of the dorsal surface gradually fading into the color of 

 the ventral surface. There are no scales on the body, only the skin on some parts of the pectoral 

 region having a feeling like sharkskin to the touch. 



30 



