Istiophorus platypterus, Indo-Pacific sailfish : fisheries, gamefish

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Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw, 1792)

Indo-Pacific sailfish
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Istiophorus platypterus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Istiophorus platypterus (Indo-Pacific sailfish)
Istiophorus platypterus
Picture by University of Western Australia (UWA)

Mauritius country information

Common names: Empereur voilier, Sailfish, Voilier
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Also Ref. 43, 5503.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/mp.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://ncb.intnet.mu/fishco/index.htm
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Baissac, J. de B., 1990
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Voilier indo-pacifique, Pez vela del Indo-Pacífico, Парусник индо-тихоокеанский, ... more

Classification / Names Nombres comunes | Sinónimos | Catalog of Fishes(Género, Especie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Carangiformes (Jacks) > Istiophoridae (Billfishes)
Etymology: Istiophorus: Greek, istios = sail + Greek, pherein = to carry (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Shaw.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / rango de profundidad / distribution range Ecología

marino pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromo (Ref. 51243); rango de profundidad 0 - 200 m (Ref. 54238), usually 30 - ? m (Ref. 9688). Subtropical; 50°N - 43°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 43)

Distribución Países | Áreas FAO | Ecosistemas | Ocurrencias, apariciones | Mapa de puntos | Introducciones | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: tropical and temperate waters approximately 45°- 50°N and 40°-35°S in the western Pacific, 35°N and 35°S in the eastern Pacific; 45°S in western Indian Ocean and 35°S in eastern Indian Ocean. Entered Mediterranean Sea from Red sea via Suez Canal. Highly migratory species. Some authors recognize a single worldwide species, Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw & Nodder 1792) but we follow Nakamura 1990 (Ref. 10820) retaining the usage of Istiophorus platypterus for the Indo-Pacific sailfish and Istiophorus albicans for the Atlantic sailfish in recognition of the differences between them.

Tamaño / Peso / Age

Madurez: Lm ?  range ? - 150 cm
Max length : 348 cm FL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 40637); common length : 270 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 9308); peso máximo publicado: 100.2 kg (Ref. 40637); edad máxima reportada: 13 años (Ref. 53742)

Short description Claves de identificación | Morfología | Morfometría

Espinas dorsales (total) : 0; Radios blandos dorsales (total) : 47 - 53; Espinas anales: 2; Radios blandos anales: 12 - 15. This species is distinguished by the following characters: slender elongate and fairly compressed with a high, sail-like first dorsal fin; upper jaw prolonged into a very long beak, slender and round in cross-section; jaws and palatines with villiform teeth; no gill rakers; two dorsal fins, the first very large (42-49 rays) the second small (6-7 rays); pectoral fins 18-20 rays; pelvic fins I, 2 soft rays fused together, very long and narrow, depressible into a groove; caudal peduncle with double keels on each side; body covered with small, embedded scales with 1 or 2 blunt points. Colour of back dark with about 20 bluish vertical bars; belly pale silver; membrane of first dorsal fin blue- black with numerous dark spots; bases of first and second anal fins often tinged with silvery white; remaining fins blackish brown or dark blue (Ref. 43, 26938).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: compressed.

Biología     Glosario (por ej. epibenthic)

Oceanic and epipelagic species usually found above the thermocline. Most densely distributed in waters close to coasts and islands (Ref. 9688). Most likely schools by size. Undergoes spawning migrations in the Pacific. Feeds mainly on fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods. Caught mainly with longlines, set nets, and sometimes by trolling and harpooning from boats (Ref. 43). Utilized fresh, smoked and frozen; also used for sashimi and sushi; eaten broiled and baked (Ref. 9987).

Life cycle and mating behavior Madurez | Reproducción | Puesta | Huevos | Fecundidad | Larva

Seems to spawn throughout the year in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific with peak spawning occurring in the respective local summer seasons. Spawning occurs with males and females swimming in pairs or with two or three males chasing a single female (probably a mating behavior). The ripe ovarian eggs are about 0.85 mm in diameter and have a single oil globule; there are no structures on the vitalize membrane and the egg is transparent. Eggs shed from captured female in the Indian Ocean averaged 1.304 mm in diameter.

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador | Colaboradores

Nakamura, I., 1985. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 5. Billfishes of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of marlins, sailfishes, spearfishes and swordfishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(5):65p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 43)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)

  Vulnerable (VU) (A2bd); Date assessed: 01 May 2021

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Pesquerías: comercial; pesca deportiva: si
FAO - pesquerías: landings, species profile; Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Ecología Trófica
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Herramientas

E-book | Guía de campo | Claves de identificación | Asistente para frecuencias de tallas | Herramienta de ciclo de vida | Mapa de puntos | Catch-MSY |

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Datos específicos | Nombres comunes | Photos

Fuentes de Internet

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: Género, Especie | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - pesquerías: landings, species profile; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | GoMexSI (interaction data) | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | Bases de datos nacionales | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Árbol de la vida | Wikipedia: Go, búsqueda | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Expediente Zoológico

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Referencia 123201): 18.2 - 27.7, mean 25.6 °C (based on 513 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Referencia 82804):  PD50 = 0.7505   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00589 (0.00273 - 0.01268), b=3.14 (2.94 - 3.34), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Nivel trófico (Referencia 69278):  4.5   ±0.3 se; based on diet studies.
Resiliencia (Referencia 120179):  Bajo, población duplicada en un tiempo mínimo de 4.5-14 años (rm=0.11; K=0.1-0.8; tmax=13; Fec=>2M).
Prior r = 0.38, 95% CL = 0.25 - 0.57, Based on 1 full stock assessment.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100). 🛈
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649):  Moderate to high vulnerability (48 of 100). 🛈
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Very high.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 26.2 [12.9, 42.4] mg/100g; Iron = 0.856 [0.511, 1.406] mg/100g; Protein = 19.6 [18.4, 20.6] %; Omega3 = 0.209 [0.114, 0.374] g/100g; Selenium = 44.7 [23.7, 83.1] μg/100g; VitaminA = 6.44 [2.15, 18.92] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.364 [0.257, 0.521] mg/100g (wet weight);