Fish
Indo-Pacific Sailfish
Istiophorus platypterus
The fastest of the billfish, unmistakable for its towering sail-like dorsal fin and long slender bill, and a blistering fight on the line.
Also known as seilvis
- Typical size
- Attains 2.3 m and 100 kg
- Habitat
- Epipelagic open water
The sailfish has an elongate, compressed body topped by a very high, sail-like first dorsal fin with the middle rays longest, and a long spear of a bill. It is a fast-growing epipelagic predator that hunts surface fishes and squid, with one-year-old fish already mature at about 1.8 m.
Sailfish live at least six years, and Indian and Pacific Ocean fish grow larger than Atlantic stocks, reaching a recorded maximum of 2.3 m and 100 kg. A blue-water gamefish prized for its speed and spectacular jumps.