Table 1. — Record of marlins with gastric ulcers captured 

 at the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, 

 1967-69. 











Estimated 











elapsed 











time. 









Fork 



capture to 



Date captured Species 



Sex 



Wt. 



length 1 



examination 







kg 



cm 



h 



4 July, 1967 Makaira nigricans 



F 



151.5 



303.4 



5.5 



6 July, 1967 



M 



141.0 



290.0 



3.5 



29 July, 1968 



M 



67.6 



224.9 



6.5 



29 July, 1968 Makaira indica 



F 



83.9 



240.9 



7.5 



31 July, 1968 



F 



86.2 



256.1 



1.5 



1 Aug.. 1968 Makaira nigricans 



M 



92.5 



256.8 



5.0 



2 Aug.. 1968 



M 



67.6 



230.3 



3.0 



2 Aug., 1968 



F 



189.1 



315.7 



6.5 



2 Aug., 1968 



F 



102.0 



270.3 



7.5 



21 Aug.. 1969 



M 



102.0 



268.2 



6.5 



21 Aug., 1969 



M 



66.7 



236.4 



6.5 



22 Aug., 1969 



M 



68.5 



235.3 



7.0 



Tip of snout to center of distal edge of caudal fin. 



throughout the stomach (Fig. 1). They were noncan- 

 cerous. Edges were indurated and raised slightly 

 from the surrounding surface. Ulcer margins were 

 rather sharply demarcated. The bases were covered 

 with a dark brown shaggy material and had an indu- 

 rated feel. Light gray nematodes 5-7 mm in length 

 and less than 0.5 mm in diameter were imbedded in 

 the bases of four ulcers in this stomach (Fig. 2). The 

 bases of the ulcers were very indurated and the indu- 

 ration extended through the wall of the specimen. 



Microscopic Findings 



The base of this ulcer was covered by granulation 

 tissue with a dense proliferation of fibroblasts and an 

 infiltration of acute and chronic inflammatory cells 

 (Fig. 3). The fibrous proliferation extended through 

 the entire wall and obliterated the usual muscular 

 layers. Remnants of the nematodes were identified 

 throughout the ulcer base. Generally, there was an 

 intense granulomatosis inflammatory reaction sur- 

 rounding the parasite. This consisted of inflamma- 

 tory cells and histiocytes. In some instances the in- 

 flammatory reaction had subsided and only laminar 

 layers of fibrous tissue remained (Fig. 4). 



Figure 1. — Multiple ulcerations varying from 3 to 13 mm scattered over the mucosal 

 surface of a stomach from a female black marlin. Weight of marlin 86.2 kg; fork length 

 256.1 cm. 



150 



