Swordfish
The swordfish (Xiphias gladius), also known as the broadbill[4] in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fish are found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and can typically be found from near the surface to a depth of 550 m (1,800 ft), and exceptionally up to depths of 2,234 m.[2] They commonly reach 3 m (10 ft) in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) in length and 650 kg (1,430 lb) in weight.[3][5]
This article is about the species of fish. For other uses, see Swordfish (disambiguation).Taxonomy and etymology[edit]
The swordfish is named after its long pointed, flat bill, which resembles a sword. The species name, Xiphias gladius, derives from Greek ξιφίας (xiphias, "swordfish"), itself from ξίφος (xiphos, "sword") and from Latin gladius ("sword").[5] This makes it superficially similar to other billfish such as marlin, but upon examination, their physiology is quite different and they are members of different families.[7]
Several extinct genera are known, such as a large sized Xiphiorhynchus and Aglyptorhynchus.[8] Unlike modern taxa these have equally long lower jaws.
