Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 



pounds. (Poey.) West Indies; not very common, and recorded by 

 Poey only, (ampins, ample.) 



Teiraptitrns ampins, POEY, Memorias, n, 243, 1861, Havana; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 420, 

 1883. 



Family CXXIII. XIPHIID.E. 



(THE SWORDFISHES.) 



Fishes of great size, with the body elongate, naked, the young covered 

 with rough granulations ; upper jaw very much prolonged, forming a 

 "sword," which is flattened horizontally and composed of the consoli- 

 dated vomer, ethmoid, and premaxillaries. Teeth wanting in the adult, 

 present in the young. Dorsal fin long, usually divided, in the adult, con- 

 tinuous in the young, without differentiated spinous part, both parts 

 composed of soft rays, the posterior portion much smaller than the ante- 

 rior and placed on the tail, resembling the second dorsal of a shark ; fin 

 rays enveloped in the skin. Anal fin divided in the adult. Caudal 

 peduncle slender, with a strong-median keel. Caudal fin widely forked 

 in the adult. Ventral fins entirely wanting; no pelvic arch. Gills of 

 peculiar structure, the laminae of each arch joined into one plate by reticu- 

 lations. Gills 4, a slit behind the fourth ; gill membranes separate, free 

 from the isthmus. Pseudobranchiae present; branchiostegals 7. Air 

 bladder present ; pyloric cceca very numerous. Intestinal canal long, with 

 many folds. Air bladder simple, large. Vertebra short, 14 + 12 = 26 in 

 number, the neural and haemal spines normal ; ribs very few. One species, 

 an enormous fish of the open sea, rivaling the largest sharks in size and 

 of immense strength of muscle. Very young or larval individuals differ- 

 ing much from the adults ; the fins high, both jaws prolonged into a beak, 

 and the head armed with long spines. (Xiphiidce, part, Giiuther, Cat., 11, 

 511, 512.) 



409. XIPHIAS, Linnaeus. 



(SWOKDFISHES.) 

 Xiphias, LINNJETJS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 248, 1758, (gladius). 



Swordfishes without teeth and without ventral fins. Body somewhat 

 compressed. Dorsal fins 2, the anterior beginning opposite the gill open- 

 ings, falcate and elevated, its height rather less than that of the body; 

 second dorsal very small, on the tail, opposite the small second anal. In 

 the young, teeth are present and the 2 dorsal fins are connected, the fin 

 being elevated as in the species of Istiophorus. First anal similar to first 

 dorsal, but smaller, less falcate, and far behind it ; pectoral fins moderate, 

 falcate. Skin naked, more or less rough, especially in the young, which 

 have rudimentary scales. Sword flattened and trenchant. Caudal keel 

 single. Intestines long, sinuous. Air bladder simple. Pelvic arch obso- 

 lete. Fishes of great size, reaching a weight of 300 to 400 pounds, the 

 flesh red and rich in flavor, highly valued as food. (t0wf, the ancient 

 name of Xiphias gladius, from &<oc, a sword.) 



