Black Marlin
Istiompax indica
A heavyweight billfish with fins that never fold flat.
Black marlin are massive, muscular billfish of the Indo-Pacific. They slash at swift prey with a stout bill and then gulp the stunned animals.
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From field guide to game table
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Quick dive
Creature passport
- Home
- They patrol tropical and subtropical Pacific and Indian Ocean waters.
- Favorite foods
- They hunt tuna, mackerel, trevallies, squid, and other fast swimmers.
- Size check
- Over 14 ft (4.4 m) and 1,500 lb (700 kg)—grand-piano weight
Tell-your-friends facts
Four wonderfully wild things
- 1
Unlike other marlins, a black marlin cannot fold its stiff pectoral fins flat.
- 2
Its second dorsal fin sits slightly ahead of its second anal fin.
- 3
The body is dark blue above and silvery below, usually without bold stripes.
- 4
A few individuals round southern Africa and wander into the Atlantic.
Ocean superpower
Built to be amazing
A powerful tail launches rapid attacks on prey built for speed.
Junior scientist tip
What should I look for?
Check for rigid side fins sticking out from a deep, dark-backed body.
Grown-up research links
We used trusted science organizations to check this profile.