Belize country information

Common names: [No common name]
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
National Checklist: Belize Biodiversity Information System - Fish
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/bh.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.caricom-fisheries.com/belize-fisheries
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Nakamura, I., 1985
National Database: Belize Biodiversity Information System

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Istiophoridae (Billfishes)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Копьеносец белый (=марлин белый), Makaire blanc de l'Atlantique, Aguja blanca del Atlántico, ... more

Main reference

Nakamura, I. 1985. (Ref. 43)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 300 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4770); common length : 210 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 82.5 kg (Ref. 43)

Length at first maturity
L_m 164.0, range 130 - ? cm

Environment

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 150 m (Ref. 43), usually 0 - 100 m (Ref. 55219)

Climate / Range

Subtropical; 22°C - ? (Ref. 12451), preferred 27°C (Ref. 107945); 47°N - 39°S, 99°W - 20°E (Ref. 55219)

Distribution

Atlantic Ocean: roughly from 45°N to 45°S in the southwestern Atlantic and 35°S in the southeastern Atlantic. Records from the Mediterranean Sea, and from Bretagne, France seem to correspond to a few straying individuals. Classified as 'reduced' (Ref. 12451). It is unclear whether there are two separate stocks or a single population in the Atlantic. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 43-52; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 23. Blue-black above, silvery white and splattered with brown on the sides, silvery white below; sometimes with more than 15 rows of obscure whitish stripes; 1st dorsal fin dark blue with black dots; 2nd dorsal fin dark blue; pectorals blackish brown, with tinges of silvery white in some specimens; pelvic fins blue-black with a black fin membrane; caudal fin blackish brown.

Usually above the thermocline. Its distribution varies seasonally, reaching higher latitudes in both the northern and southern hemispheres only during the respective warm seasons. Usually found in deep (over 100 m) blue water with surface temperatures over 22°C and salinities of 35 to 37 ppt. Currents of 0.5 to 2 knots occur over much of its habitat. Feeds on fishes and squids. Females grow larger (Ref. 4770). Flesh is of excellent quality. Marketed fresh and frozen.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Vulnerable (VU) (A2bd)

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

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

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 0.7505 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.5 ±0.4 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.58; assuming tm >=2)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
High

Kajikia albida (Poey, 1860)