Comparative Development of Atlantic 

 and Mediterranean Billfishes (Istiophoridae) 1 



DONALD P. DE SYLVA 2 and SHOJI UEYANAGI 3 



ABSTRACT 

 Developmental stages from about 5 mm to the adult stage are described, illustrated, and compared for 

 the following species: Atlantic sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus; white marlin, Tetrapturus albidus; 

 Mediterranean spearfish, Tetrapturus belone; longbill spearfish, Tetrapturus pfluegeri; and Atlantic blue 

 marlin, Makaira nigricans. Most descriptions are based on material from the western North Atlantic Ocean 

 including the DANA collections from the Sargasso Sea. The status of two other billfish — Tetrapturus georgei 

 from the eastern Atlantic and the so-called "hatchet marlin" of the western Atlantic — is discussed briefly 

 in reference to the identity of an unidentifiable juvenile from the Mediterranean Sea. 



'This paper was presented orally, but only title and abstract 

 were submitted for publication. The full text of the paper will be 

 submitted to the DANA Reports for publication. 



2 School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of 

 Miami. 



3 Far Seas Regional Fisheries Station, Shimizu. Japan. 



79 



