the black marlin ( istiompax indica ) is a species of marlin found in tropical and subtropical areas of the indian and pacific oceans .

with a maximum published length of 4.65 m ( 15.3 ft ) and weight of 750 kg ( 1,650 lb ) , it is one of the largest marlins and also one of the largest bony fish .

it is one of the fastest fish species as well , having been recorded unwinding fishing line at 129 km/h ( 80 mph ) .

black marlin are fished commercially and are also a highly prized game fish .

black marlin

these fishes have several common names like pacific black marlin , giant black marlin , marlin negro , white marlin ( japan ) , silver marlin ( hawaii ) .
the black marlin looks similar to the blue marlin . unlike the pectoral fins of the blue marlin , those of the black marlin cannot be depressed .
, istiophorid larvae were assigned to black marlin ( 27 ) , blue marlin ( 16 ) and unresolved ( 7 ) . six of the presumed black marlin were genetically tested and returned 3 black marlin , 2 blue marlin and 1 undetermined , thereby invalidating the visual identification method but validating the presence of black marlin larvae .
the black marlin is named black due to the fact that is the color they turn when dead .
through an integrated study of black marlin reproductive biology , larval sampling and adult black marlin tagging , we present evidence of spawning and document the geographic range of the black marlin stock that frequents the gbr .
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black marlins are large sized commercial fishes . black marlins are strong and fast paced .
the black marlin occurs in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the pacific and indian oceans .
we found variability in the location of suitable black marlin habitat across months and years .
suzuki z . catch and fishing effort relationships for striped marlin , blue marlin and black marlin in the pacific ocean , 1952 to 1985 . in : stroud rh , editor .
information on the black marlin is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly .
there is a shortage of data in iucn regarding the conservation status of black marlin fish .
catchment area of the gbr black marlin spawning aggregation , as determined by popup satellite tagging .
the black marlin is a well known commercial and recreational fishing species . in areas of north - eastern australia , peru and ecuador , sportfishing for black marlin by trolling is an important industry .
the black marlin is one of the most keenly sought gamefish species targeted by recreational anglers in australia , with more than 54 , 000 records of tagged black marlin within the nsw dpi’s database .
black marlin are easiest to identify by their rigid pectoral fins , which will not tuck against the body , like those of other marlin species .
like all the other fishes in the family istiophoridae , the black marlin is a very fast swimmer .
movement of psat tagged black marlin within the gbre , demonstrating an affinity for sst of approximately 26–27°c .
nakamura i . synopsis of biological data on the black marlin , makaira indica ( cuvier ) 1831 .
poleward shift in the distribution of suitable black marlin habitat across all three seasons from 1998 - 2013 .
large black marlin are known to feed on squid , scad , mackerel tuna , frigate mackerel , and tuna .
for many years the black marlin was called makaira indica . the species is currently classified in the genus istiompax .
the black marlin ' s diet includes squids , scads , mackerel , cuttlefishes , octopuses and other small fish .
shimose t , yokawa k , saito h , tachihara k . seasonal occurrence and feeding habits of black marlin ,
all black marlin tag release locations recorded in the nsw dpi tagging program within the south - west pacific ocean .
nakamura h . on the habits of the istiophorid fishes , particularly the spawning of the black marlin , makaira mazara .
speare p , steinberg c . environmental factors influencing the activity of black marlin . in : wolanski e , editor .
the number of participating anglers and black marlin tissue samples collected along with the estimated overall size range from each location .
s1 file . an angler demonstrating how to take a fin clip from a juvenile black marlin off weipa ( queensland ) .
iotc ( 2014 ) status of the indian ocean black marlin ( blm : makaira indica ) resource indian ocean tuna commisson .
what does this mean for australian fishers , black marlin and similar pelagic species ? these are questions that still need answering .
video showing how to take a fin clip from a small black marlin safely & unassisted - for use in genetic studies .
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recapture locations for black marlin tagged on the gbr ( a ) closely agree with popup tagging results ; results of black marlin tagged throughout australia ( b ) show some ocean basin crossings . red tracks are those fish known to be mature ( 100 + kg ) .
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the black marlin is found in the tropical indo - pacific oceans and an extraordinary trophy for any angler . known as the pearl of the ocean , the black marlin ( makaira indica ) is a much sought after game fish . it is a strong , fast pelagic species highly prized by sport fishermen . elegant , strong , and with a great deal of stamina , the black marlin fish offers an unforgettable fight .
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domeier ml , speare p ( 2012 ) dispersal of adult black marlin ( istiompax indica ) from a great barrier reef spawning aggregation . plos one
on an annual basis , conditions favoured by black marlin occurred off north queensland at the start of spring and gradually shifted south along australia’s east coast from october to april . this coincided with the peak availability of black marlin to recreational anglers and also to a seasonal pulse in the eac .
a black marlin , istiompax indica , caught off watamu , kenya . source : michael janke / fishbase . license : cc by attribution - noncommercial
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the black marlin is the only marlin with non - retractable fins . another distinguishing trait is their dorsal fin which is proportionately the lowest of any billfish . it stands less than 50 percent of the fish ' s body height . the black marlin ' s back is slate blue and transitions to a silver belly . it may also have light blue stripes when excited .
the white line outlines the great barrier reef environment ( gbre ) ; a region of barrier reef and adjacent habitats considered important for black marlin spawning .
a large and powerful predator , the black marlin is a popular gamefish . the body is dark blue above , silvery white below , with a dark blue first dorsal - fin , and the other fins are brownish - black .
jaws : black marlins have sharp sword - like long and protruding upper jaw .
at the other end of the spectrum , juvenile black marlin from 15kg to 40kg undertake an annual migration southward along the east coast in association with the eac .
our findings , which include the presence of hydrated eggs , post - ovulatory follicles and black marlin larvae , offer the first validation of a black marlin spawning aggregation . this spawning aggregation forms adjacent to the gbr during the months of october and november . recreational fishing catch rates for black marlin are highest from cairns north to the ribbon reefs , suggesting that this is the focus of spawning activity . estimated ages for the istiophorid larvae collected for this study ranged from less than one day to about two weeks ; a time frame that excludes the transport of larvae to the gbr from a distant spawning ground . however , incidental longline catches of black marlin 50–100 km offshore of the gbr during the spawning season indicate spawning could be occurring over a wide area . no ichthyoplankton sampling has occurred in the near vicinity of the reefs and islands dispersed throughout the queensland plateau during the black marlin spawning season , but such work could add valuable data on the spatial extent of black marlin spawning .
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unlike other marlins the black marlin has rigid pectoral fins . the pectoral fins are a pair of fins located on both sides of the fish directly behind its head .
between april 1974 and november 2011 48297 black marlin were tagged with conventional tags and released off the east coast of australia ; 340 ( 0 . 7 % ) were subsequently recaptured . thirty adult black marlin ( 100 + kg ) tagged off the gbr were recaptured , demonstrating a similar dispersal pattern as the psat tags from this study (
morrow , j . e . 1959 . istiompax indicus ( cuvier ) 1831 , a prior name for the black marlin . copeia 1959 ( 4 ) : 347 - 349
speare , p . 2003 . age and growth of black marlin , makaira indica , in east coast australian waters . marine and freshwater research 54 : 307 - 314 .
leis et al . [ 9 ] conducted ichthyoplankton tows in the vicinity of the gbr recreational fleet that targets black marlin . they identified a maximum abundance of istiophorid ( billfish ) larvae immediately seaward of the ribbon reefs compared to adjacent sampling sites further offshore and inside the gbr lagoon . they concluded that the billfish spawn , or at least the eggs hatch , immediately seaward of the barrier reefs . they collected three distinct species of billfish larvae , two of which were known ( blue marlin and sailfish ) . through the process of elimination they concluded that the 3rd species was black marlin although the species identification was never subsequently confirmed . the concurrent presence of black marlin adults and presumed black marlin larvae supports the suggestion that the high seasonal density of fish is a spawning aggregation .
this has enabled us to investigate whether there had been any geographical shifts in suitable habitat for the highly - mobile black marlin ( istiopmax indica ) in the previous 16 years .
length : black marlin is a large sized fish . males tend to measure maximum 15 . 3 ft . females are larger in size , often measuring a little above 15 feet .
according to pepperell ( 2010 ) , the black marlin is the only istiophorid in which the second dorsal fin is anterior to the second anal fin , this feature holds for all sizes .
prior to this study , no direct evidence of black marlin spawning had been collected within the geographic range of this species . with the exception of leis et al . [ 9 ] , very few marlin larvae had been obtained from the tropical western north pacific , tropical indian ocean , or the coral sea [ 22 ] . larvae that had been assigned to black marlin ( [ 9 ] , [ 23 ] and this study ) were done via the process of elimination ( exact method never published ) and the identification had never been validated via other means . our attempt to validate these visual characters via mitochondrial dna testing resulted in the identification of both black and blue marlin in our presumed black marlin sample , clearly invalidating the previously published method ( e . g . , [ 8 ] , [ 9 ] , [ 16 ] ) .
but our research , published in october in global change biology , aims to identify any changes in the distribution of marlin habitat through time . we used the release positions of black marlin in the nsw dpi database and satellite - derived data such as sea surface temperature and current velocity .
the extensive spatial and temporal coverage of the tagging data allowed us to model the geographic distribution of black marlin habitat in the south - west pacific for 192 consecutive months from 1998 to 2013 .
the black marlin ( istiompax indica ) is one of the largest bony fishes in the world with females capable of reaching a mass of over 700 kg . this highly migratory predator occurs in the tropical regions of the pacific and indian oceans , and is the target of regional recreational and commercial fisheries . through the sampling of ichthyoplankton and ovaries we provide evidence that the relatively high seasonal abundance of black marlin off the great barrier reef is , in fact , a spawning aggregation . furthermore , through the tracking of individual black marlin via satellite popup tags , we document the dispersal of adult black marlin away from the spawning aggregation , thereby identifying the catchment area for this spawning stock . although tag shedding is an issue when studying billfish , we tentatively identify the catchment area for this stock of black marlin to extend throughout the coral sea , including the waters of papua new guinea , the solomon islands , micronesia , new caledonia , kiribati , vanuatu , fiji , tuvalu and nauru .
due to their huge size and appearance black marlins are a very popular game fish among sport fisherman .
fins : this fish has two dorsal and two anal fins . the fins in the pelvic region tend to be drawn inside like a depression . it is the only species marlin that does not have retractable fins . the dorsal fins of a black marlin are the smallest in size among billfish . the dorsal fin fail to form even a mere 50 % of the marlin’s total height .
black marlin is a migratory fish normally found living in the tropical and subtropical waters of the indo - pacific region . migrating black marlins are found in atlantic ocean . these fishes are considered one of the fastest swimmers on earth , often speeding up to 80 mph ( 130 km / h ) .
prince ed , lee dw , zweifel jr . estimating age and growth of young atlantic blue marlin
these fish can migrate long distances . one black marlin was tracked traveling from australia to the coast of costa rica ; a distance of 9 , 045 miles ( 14 , 556 . 5 km ) .
dark blue above , silvery white below . first dorsal fin dark blue , other fins brownish - black .
with vast stretches of spectacular coast - land accessible throughout australia - big game charter fishing has become a popular sport , with cairns , queensland now the world ' s big game black marlin capital . beginning september 1966 , big game fisherman began to land world record breaking mighty black marlin off the outer great barrier reef and continue to achieve this feat today . between the waters of cairns and lizard island , every year from september to december , the marlin migrate here to spawn , attracting cruising yachts , charter boats and fisherman from throughout the world . an essential location for any big game angler , more black marlin are caught every year around the cairns and the great barrier reef than the remainder of the world combined .
conventional tag data revealed evidence of spawning site philopatry . adult black marlin tagged on the gbr during the spawning season were recaptured during subsequent spawning seasons in the same region . whether spawning site fidelity occurs at other black marlin spawning grounds is not known . the identification of other regional black marlin spawning sites and subsequent psat tagging could further clarify our understanding of this species and its interaction with incidental and directed fisheries . taiwan has previously been identified as a spawning region [ 6 ] , but port sampling has not produced any adult fish in spawning condition ( chi - lu sun pers . comm . ) and fish targeted at nearby yanaguni island , japan , have been described as a feeding aggregation [ 32 ] . hainan island may be a spawning site for the south china sea [ 10 ] – [ 12 ] . black marlin are also abundant in the indian ocean , sulu sea , celebes sea and philippine sea but spawning sites are not presently known . no black marlin in spawning condition have ever been observed in the eastern pacific [ 33 ] .
marlin and dory plan to hitch a ride to sydney on the east australian current in finding nemo .
the black marlin is a species of marlin found in tropical and subtropical indo - pacific oceans . it will often be found close to the surface . it is one of the largest marlins and bony fish and is one of the fastest fish on earth reaching speeds up to 80 mph ( 128km / h ) .
gonad weights as a proportion of fish weight for black marlin taken from the inshore coastal waters ( fin – females , min - males ) and the ribbon reefs ( foff – females , moff - males ) .
young ir , black kp , heron ml . circulation in the ribbon reef region of the great barrier reef .
black marlins look a lot like blue marlins however they have several differences including a comparatively lower and rounded dorsal fin , more rigid pectoral fins , and usually lack the stripes along the body found on the blue marlin .
serafy je , cowen rk , paris cb , capo tr , luthy sa . evidence of blue marlin ,
williams sm , pepperell jg , corley sw , ovenden jr ( 2014 ) isolation and characterisation of 18 polymorphic microsatellite loci for black marlin ( istiompax indica ) and their utility for pacific billfish species . fisheries research 166 : 29–32 .
an epipelagic , oceanic species often found near shore in coastal waters , around islands and coral reefs . the black marlin is a highly migratory species , and commercial catch rates are highest in the 0 - 200 m depth range .
the black marlin has an elongate body with a stout bill , that in cross section is rounded . it has two dorsal fins , two anal fins , a lunate caudal fin and two strong keels on the side of the caudal peduncle . the pelvic fins can be depressed into a groove . the pectoral fins stick out from the side of the body and cannot be depressed . the black marlin is dark blue above , silvery below and usually lacks any markings .
the contents of the cod end from each tow were preserved in 70 % ethanol . fish larvae were separated and retained from each sample and billfish larvae were identified by jeff leis of the australian museum based on head profile and pigmentation as applied in leis et al . [ 9 ] . six larvae identified as black marlin based on these visual characters were submitted to dna analysis ( 400 bases of the mitochondrial dna control region compared to known black marlin sequences ) .
the i & i nsw data for released black marlin show a year round presence of small black marlin along the east coast of australia with the gbr lagoon being an important seasonal site for these juveniles . the presence of ideal black marlin nursery habitat within the gbr lagoon may be the selective pressure that has led to the formation of a spawning aggregation adjacent to the gbr . larvae that hatch seaward of the outer barrier reefs may eventually advect into the gbr lagoon . one indicator of water movement from outside the reef to the lagoon is the surprising number of psat tags that were shed outside of the gbr but subsequently transported into the lagoon , eventually washing ashore where they were recovered by beachgoers . modeling of the flow of water in and out of the passages between the ribbon reefs also supports the notion that the larvae hatching adjacent to the reef can take advantage of tidal jets infiltrating the reef matrix and be transported into the lagoon and retained [ 24 ] – [ 26 ] . although the presence of juvenile black marlin within the gbr lagoon is well documented , the one attempt to collect larvae in the lagoon found them to be scarce [ 9 ] . black marlin larvae may occur in patches within the large gbr lagoon , and older larvae may be capable of avoiding capture , making sampling difficult . more sampling must occur before conclusions can be drawn regarding the abundance of black marlin larvae within the lagoon .
as with most apex predators the only real threats to the black marlin are humans and human activities . black marlin are caught as bycatch in commercial long - liners , trolling , harpooning , set nets , gill nets , and surface tuna long liners . there are a number of conservation efforts in place , such as angling size limitations , the encouragement of catch - and - release fishing , and the use of circle hooks instead of the standard j - hooks when fishing as this improves the post - release survival of the fish . the black marlin is listed as data deficient by the iucn as there is very little data on the catch , by - catch , mortalities , and discards for this species .
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the black marlin is the only marlin with non - retractable fins . like all billfish , the species has a distinctive stretched out sword - like upper jaw . its dorsal fin is proportionately the lowest of any billfish , standing less than 50 percent of the fish’s body height . scientists are yet to determine how long a member of this species lives .
equally majestic and challenging , both the atlantic and pacific blue marlin are known to live as long as 27 years and exceed 14 feet in length and 1 , 500 pounds in weight . the igfa all - tackle world record for atlantic blue marlin stands at 1 , 402 pounds , 2 ounces , and the pacific blue marlin at 1 , 376 pounds .
the rounded dorsal makes whites easy to differentiate from other marlin species . the quick id comes in handy in locations like punta cana , dominican republic , where whites share their offshore haunts with the small blue marlin that abound in the region .
the black marlin is a well known commercial and recreational fishing species . the species occurs in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the pacific and indian oceans , and sometimes also found in temperate waters . it uses its bill to slash prey before swallowing it .
marlin exhibit a high rate of psat tag shedding and therefore marlin studies that use this technology have very low sample sizes for tracks that exceed 6 months ( e . g . , [ 29 ] ) . although premature tag shedding was an issue here , our tracking data provide a good indication of dispersal from the spawning aggregation while outlining the catchment area of the gbr spawning stock . of note is the fact that no black marlin moved from the gbr to the south china sea , indian ocean or eastern pacific . furthermore , no conventionally tagged black marlin have moved from the west coast of australia ( indian ocean ) to the indo pacific , but there has been movement from the west coast of australia to india ( p . bolton pers . comm . ) . although mitochondrial dna , microsatellite dna and anonymous single copy nuclear dna studies have failed to find any genetic stock structure between these important regions of black marlin abundance [ 30 ] , [ 31 ] , the gbr stock appears discrete from a practical fishery perspective .
sea surface temperature ( sst ) records from the psat tags were used to determine the mean temperature experienced by black marlin within the gbre . daily sst values were obtained for each tagged fish remaining in the gbre by accessing the psat transmitted temperature / depth data .
a few weeks ago a black marlin istiompax indica washed up on central beach in plettenberg bay measuring 3 . 8 m . unfortunately , i was not in town to see it but i was inspired to do some research into the species . black marlins are found in tropical and subtropical indian and pacific ocean , preferring to stay above the thermocline in water temperatures between 15 – 30 °c . although black marlin can be found to a depth of 100 m , they are often found close to land masses , islands , and coral reefs . black marlins are one of the largest bony fishes , growing up to 700 kg – the all - tackle record for this species is 708 kg ! this species has a varied diet , feeding on fish , squid , cuttlefish , octopods , and large crustaceans .
black marlin’s diet consists of squid and a number of pelagic fish , including flying fish , bonito , various tunas , mackerel , dolphin , and others , and unlike blue and striped marlin , blacks often venture onto shallow water ( juveniles sometimes forage in depths of less than 20 feet in parts of australia ) , adding to the great appeal of their awesome strength , stamina and acrobatic nature .
making the list of the ten fastest animals in the world is the speedy black marlin . it is the fastest fish in the world and can swim faster than the incredibly fast cheetah can run . this fish can reach amazing speeds of up to 80 miles per hour ( 129 km / h ) which is estimated by the speed in which they can unwind a fishing line once hooked . its size and speed make it one of the most sought after fish for sports fisherman . on this page is a list of interesting facts about the black marlin . information on this page includes where they can be found , what they eat , and why they are called black marlins .
squire jr jl , nielsen dv ( 1983 ) results of a tagging program to determine migration rates and patterns for black marlin , makaira indica , in the southwest pacific ocean . noaa technical report nmfs ssrf - united states national marine fisheries service ( usa ) no 772 .
from may to august , suitable habitat retreats back towards the equator as cold water currents push north over winter . we also identified a strong effect of el niño southern oscillation ( enso ) , with black marlin habitat extending up to 300km further south during la niña phases .
black marlins spawn by external fertilization in water temperatures around 27 or 28 ° c . a single pregnant female may carry up to 40 million eggs .
food items consist largely of other large fast swimming fishes such as tunas , mackerels , trevallies , and swordfish . less important foods include other fishes , squids , and large crustaceans . analysis of stomach contents indicate that the black marlin uses its bill to slash prey before it is swallowed .
) . more black marlin dispersed north through east ( north of vanuatu , n = 18 ) than east through south ( south of vanuatu , n = 8 ) . tagged fish dispersed to regions that included papua new guinea , solomon islands , fiji , vanuatu and the gilbert islands (
stander , y . 2016 . cold water may be cause for marlin beaching . accessed : 2016 - 04 - 24 . url : urltoken
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black marlinare taken in commercial and recreational fisheries throughout their range , including as bycatch in longline and purse seine fisheries - mostly by surface tuna longliners . .
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black marlin generally exist in the tropical and sub - tropical regions of the pacific and indian oceans . they are a highly migratory , pelagic species that will rarely swim deeper than 100 feet . they are most commonly found in deep waters , near such prominent bottom structures as continental shelves and reefs .
anglers target these juveniles off cairns and townsville in late winter , south - east queensland in late spring , and port stephens , nsw , in late summer . depending on the behaviour of the eac , juvenile black marlin may even extend as far south as bermagui , nsw , in some years .
as for the black marlin that was washed up in plettenberg bay , it is suspected that the cold waters may have been the cause for the individual to end up on our shores . keep an eye out for other species that are also affected by cold water , and sudden drops in water temperature .
nakamura h . studies on the fishes of the family istiophoridae from the formosan waters . 8 , seasonal variations in size , b . white marlin .
the black marlin istiompax indica , is a key focus species of the nswgftp , especially since it’s declaration as a commercial ‘no - take’ species in australian waters under the fisheries management act 1991 . the large size of i . indica not only adds to its recreational appeal , but enables it to range widely throughout tropical and sub - tropical waters of the indian and pacific oceans [ 24 ] . however , while the black marlin is protected from commercial fishing within the australian exclusive economic zone , its commercial catches in international waters continue to increase , particularly in the indian ocean where levels of fishing mortality may be to be unsustainable [ 25 ] . in addition , because of the recreational - only nature of this fishery within australian waters , where over 90 % of black marlin brought to the boat are tagged and released [ 23 ] , the ability to access tissue samples from landed fish for population genetic analysis of i . indica has been limited . given the difficulties in obtaining biological samples and the large network of skilled anglers operating under the nswgftp , the black marlin represents a model species for implementing citizen science research with the application of non - lethal tissue sampling , a technique that has previously been practiced exclusively by trained research scientists [ 26 – 28 ] .
white marlin average less than 60 pounds in weight , but their speed and athleticism make them a great litmus test for fly and light - tackle anglers .
to 450 cm and 700 kg . due to difficulties in ageing marlin otoliths , exact age estimates are difficult , but maximum age may exceed 15 years .
pacific and atlantic blue marlin of
grander
proportions are true leviathans , but the more abundant 150 - to 300 - pounders are still pretty tough customers .
the black marlin ( istiompax indica ) is one of the largest bony fishes in the world with females capable of reaching a mass of over 700 kg [ 6 ] . this species ranges throughout the tropical pacific and indian oceans with seasonal density hotspots occurring in the east china sea , the northwest coral sea , the arafura sea , the sulu sea , the celebes sea , near taiwan , northwestern australia and panama [ 7 ] . the presence of gravid females , and in some cases larvae , have suggested that seasonal aggregations of black marlin off the great barrier reef ( gbr ) ( october - december – [ 6 ] , [ 8 ] , [ 9 ] ) , taiwan ( august - october – [ 6 ] ) and hainan island ( may - june – [ 10 ] – [ 12 ] ) may be spawning aggregations . the seasonal presence of black marlin off the gbr was once the focus of an important commercial fishery [ 13 ] and continues to be an economically important recreational fishery .
testes of black marlin taken from the nearshore coastal waters were almost exclusively below 1 % of whole fish weight and averaged 0 . 18 % ( 0 . 08 se ) . the exception was an 82 . 5 kg fish taken off dunk island that had relatively large testes of 1 . 8 kg ( 2 . 18 % ) (
black marlins are one of the largest species of marlins ; they can reach a weight of 1 , 650 pounds ( 750 kilograms ) . females are slightly larger than males .
) . all mature fish ( 100 + kg ) recaptured during the spawning season ( n = 17 ; oct - nov . ) were recaptured in the vicinity of the gbr ( between 11and 1091 days at liberty ) . a wider range of dispersal was observed when recaptures from black marlin tagged throughout australia were plotted ( n = 337 ,
williams d , mcb , milicich mj , kearney re . trends in marlin abundance and stock composition off eastern australia as indexed by catch , effort and tagging data .
although recognised as the world ' s premier fishing destination for the giant black marlin , cairns is also one of the most globally diverse marine areas offering deep sea and big game fishing expeditions for anglers of all ages and experience . no matter what your goal is with big game - fish , make cairns the destination for your next fishing expedition .
spawning is known to occurs off cairns from august to november . spawning occurs in waters around 27 - 28 degrees in temperature . each female black marlin is capable of producing up to 40 million eggs . eggs are spawned near reefs , where the downwelling water , combined with the near - surface habitat preference result in larvae staying close to the reef .
color : their colors vary from blackish to dark blue . these species have a dark blue dorsal ( upper ) side . the belly region tends to be silvery - white with strokes of faint blue vertical stripes on the lower sides . the back side of a black marlin fish is slate blue . when excited , it is found to have light blue stripes .
straight line track distances ranged from 822–5780 km ( mean 2146 km , sd 1226 km ) and path distances ranged between 2261–13431 km ( mean 5016 km , sd 2158 km ) . although a few marlin dispersed more than 2000 km from the gbr , calculation of the daily straight line dispersal distance revealed that most tagged marlin remained within 1000–2000 km of the gbr (
a number of other elements also made this citizen science program particularly successful . firstly , the black marlin is a prime tag - and - release species in australia , with over 58 , 000 fish having been tagged with conventional tags to date by recreational anglers , the highest for any species on the nsw game fish tagging program [ 23 ] . this familiarity with the species negated any misidentification , with 100 % of samples proven genetically to be black marlin . secondly , the prior experience in citizen science activities by program participants also meant that the amount of angler education regarding species identification , data management , and fish handling skills was able to be minimised , with focus able to be put on sampling methodology , preservation of the genetic material and returning samples to researchers .
fritsches ka , marshall nj , warrant ej ( 2003 ) retinal specializations in the blue marlin : eyes designed for sensitivity to low light levels . marine and freshwater research 54 : 333–341 .
although this species has long been known as makaira indica , studies indicated that it was distinct from other marlin species and belonged in its own genus ( collette et al . 2006 ) .
ken picknell ( left ) and his fishing partner tony reti display their 200 - kilogram black marlin in 1989 . the pair had gone fishing in tony’s dinghy , looking for snapper off kaiaua in the firth of thames . they spent half an hour getting the 3 . 6 - metre fish alongside the boat , and then towed it ashore using the anchor rope . they intended to smoke the fillets .
this species is widespread in the indo - pacific . it is commercially and recreationally caught , and is caught as bycatch in longlines and purse seines throughout its range . there have been no stock assessments for this species , and only very limited catch and effort data is available . given that it is caught with the same gears as the blue marlin and striped marlin , it is likely that the population of black marlin has declined as well , but there is no data to quantify this . in the eastern pacific , available catch data does not indicate any reduction in landings , however the impact of commercial fishing and sports fishing on the species is unknown . it is therefore listed for the present as data deficient . more information is needed on catch landings , discards and effort for this species .
the gbr is an important region for the reproduction and early life history of the black marlin . protective measures that have been put in place to curtail the take of this species during the spawning season are likely important for the sustainability of this coral sea stock . the impact of fisheries that intercept black marlin migrating to / from the spawning grounds should be monitored to insure the health of this stock . the results presented here indicate the importance of tagging studies in addition to analyses of molecular markers , since genetic results alone may not provide results at a level meaningful to fisheries management . several basic life history parameters are still not well defined for this species ( e . g . , minimum size of maturity , fecundity , spawning seasons / sites outside of gbre ) and future work should attempt to fill these gaps .
fast , agile and very acrobatic , the white marlin is truly a worthy adversary on light tackle . conventional trolling with a variety of live and rigged , dead baits , including ballyhoo , mullet , small mackerel , herring and others , is the preferred tactic , however , strip baits and lures claim their share of fish and are often used to tease white marlin within range of anglers pitching baits or casting flies .
kopf rk , davie ps , bromhead d , pepperell jg ( 2011 ) age and growth of striped marlin ( kajikia audax ) in the southwest pacific ocean . ices journal of marine science 68 : 1884–1895 .
in addition to the large variability on shorter timescales , we also found that suitable marlin habitat has shifted south at a rate of about 88km per decade across all seasons , independently of the influence of enso .
a - mean sizes of oocyte development stages ( + 1sd ) pooled from 19 black marlin taken from the ribbon reefs . the numbers above the bars indicate the number of oocytes measured . b – the mean proportional distribution of the various oocyte development stages in a fish ( + 1sd ) compiled from 9312 egg counts . the numbers above the bars indicate the percentage of fish with each of the development stages . stage designations are translated in
the black marlin has a dark blue dorsal side , a silvery white belly , and faint blue vertical stripes running down the sides . the first dorsal fin is blackish to dark blue , while the other fins are dark brown , sporadically with blue tinges . a specimen may have anywhere between 39 and 50 dorsal soft rays . males may reach a length of 4 . 65 m and weight of 750 kilograms , females are generally much larger .
these are carnivorous fishes . they mainly feed on various types of sea animals and smaller fishes like dolphinfish , squid , cuttlefish , octopuses , mackerels , trevallies and swordfish . black marlins prefer feeding on small tunas when the latter are in plenty .
the only marlin that have rigid pectoral fins that won’t tuck flat against their body , blacks occur in the tropical waters of the indian and pacific oceans , and are one of the four billfish species ( along with swordfish and atlantic and pacific blue marlin ) known to exceed 1 , 000 pounds in weight ( called “granders” ) , in fact , the igfa all - tackle world record is a 1 , 560 - pounder caught off cabo blanco , peru .
black marlins feed on dolphinfish , squid , cuttlefish , octopuses , mackerels , trevallies , swordfish , and large decapod crustaceans , but prefers small tunas when abundant . stomach analysis indicates that these fish use their long , sharp bills to slash their prey .
capable of impressive leaps , and mixing in surface greyhounding and high - speed dives during the fight , blue marlin put their awesome power on display the instant they feel the hook , reason why they are highly coveted by anglers worldwide .
like blue marlin , two species — an atlantic and a larger pacific — are recognized , both easily identified by their sail - like dorsal fin , which they often use to corral baitfish in cooperation with other members of a pack .
an inhabitant of the warm , tropical waters of the pacific and indian oceans , this marlin species is renowned for its exciting aerial displays . it often hunts in packs , so the potential for double and triple hookups adds to its allure .
many anglers are now involved in the tagging of billfish ( black , striped and blue marlin , sailfish , spearfish , swordfish ) to encourage sustainability of the game - fish stocks and provide valuable research data . australian saltwater gamefish tournaments now all incorporate a large tagging section and promote a catch and release ethos . tags are placed within the shoulder of the fish with data including date and location of fish , boat , angler and captain ' s name , estimated size of fish , and its condition .
the black ' s immense strength and exceptional size makes it a favored target among big - game fishermen . a fight with one of these fish can last for hours , wearing severely on the angler as well as the tackle . anglers commonly troll brightly colored lures or rigged baitfish to catch this species . other popular techniques include kite fishing ( where baits are suspended at the surface from flying kites ) and heavy - tackle fly fishing . commercial fishing has put a strain on numerous black marlin fisheries worldwide . as a result of the depleted stocks , many sport fisherman are now tagging and releasing their catches . the firm , white meat is highly prized in japan ' s sushi market , but banned in parts of australia for its high selenium and mercury content .
males and females are indistinguishable externally , but females attain a much larger size . sex ratio varies with area and season . in taiwan waters , all black marlin greater than 270 cm ljfl were females . length of males at first maturity was about 140 cm , and 230 cm for females . age at first maturity not known . intensive spawning occurs in the coral sea , especially during october and november . water temperatures about 27–28°c during spawning . egg counts of ripe females totalled about 40 million ( collette 2010 ) .
although this is a migratory species found primarily in deep , warm tropical waters , white marlin is frequently drawn closer to shore by the prospect of intercepting schooling baitfish , and in certain areas , it competes for food with atlantic sailfish and other pelagic game fish .
black marlins have not yet been evaluated as to whether they are a threatened or endangered species . their flesh is marketed refrigerated or frozen in the united states and prepared as sashimi in japan . however , they are banned in parts of australia for their high selenium and mercury content .
citation :
black marlins , istiompax indica ~ marinebio . org .
marinebio conservation society . web . accessed monday , july 9 , 2018 . < urltoken > . last update : 1 / 14 / 2013 2 : 22 : 00 pm ~ contributor ( s ) : marinebio
popup satellite archival transmitting ( psat ) tags were deployed on black marlin from recreational fishing boats fishing the gbr between cairns and the ribbon reefs . marlin were captured via rod - and - reel by trolling natural baits along the reef . once a marlin was hooked and subsequently controlled alongside the vessel , the condition of the fish was assessed ; condition factors that would eliminate an individual fish from the tagging study included visible bleeding from the mouth or gills , hook in the gut or throat , or exhaustion that prevented the fish from maintaining upright while swimming . fish that were determined to be in good health were tagged using a hand - held tagging pole to insert a nylon dart into the dorsal musculature at the base of the tallest portion of the first dorsal fin . tags were rigged with an umbrella - style dart ( described in [ 18 ] ) and 136 kg test sufix superior monofilament ( yao i fabric ) . the dart was inserted to a depth of 9 . 5 cm such that the nylon leader exited the body of the fish at a 45° angle towards the posterior of the fish .
while the average white ranges in weight from 40 to 60 pounds , the igfa all - tackle world record , an impressive fish that weighed 181 pounds , 14 ounces , was caught off vitoria , brazil , where white marlin of extraordinary size are caught with some regularity .
in terms of outright top speed , the black marlin is the fastest fish in the ocean capable of accelerating to an unbelievable 129km / h ( 80mph ) . steve leonard joins a conservation team who tag marlin to follow their movements and witnesses their incredible power . subscribe : urltoken watch more : new on earth : urltoken oceanscapes : urltoken wild thailand : urltoken welcome to bbc earth ! the world is an amazing place full of stories , beauty and natural wonder . here you ' ll find 50 years worth of astounding , entertaining , thought - provoking and educational natural history content . dramatic , rare , and exclusive , nature doesn ' t get more exciting than this . want to share your views ? join our fan panel : urltoken this is a channel from bbc worldwide who help fund new bbc programmes . service information and feedback : urltoken
analysis of recreational data from the annual lizard island game fish club ' s tournament between 1991 and 1999 identified a peak in strike rates when the water was approaching 26°c [ 27 ] . these authors also related a peak in the japanese longline fleet ' s return on effort in this region with the sst at 26°c . similarly , the psat tagged fish moved southward in concurrence with the 26–27°c isotherm . a positive correlation between istiophorid and general fish larvae abundance , inferred from plankton tows , suggests that these pelagic and highly migratory species have a similar sst preference for spawning . given a marlin ' s rapid ontogenetic shift to piscivory [ 28 ] , the simultaneous spawning of marlin and reef species may not be coincidental . also of interest is the concurrent presence of swordfish and blue marlin larvae which evidently encounter favorable conditions for survival and growth .


the white-winged widowbird ( euplectes albonotatus ) is a species of passerine bird in the family ploceidae native to africa south of the sahara .

it is highly sexually dimorphic in its breeding season , during which the male 's yellow plumage turns dark and he gains more white feathers , contrasting with the female 's predominantly pale coloration .

three subspecies are recognised .

white - winged widowbird

nobody uploaded sound recordings for white - winged widowbird ( euplectes albonotatus ) yet .
white - winged widowbird ( euplectes albonotatus fam . ploceidae ) kruger park birds & birding .
the white - winged widowbird is neither endemic or near endemic to the kruger national park .
in terms of distribution of the white - winged widowbird in the kruger national park you may not see it in all areas . white - winged widowbird : see above distribution map .
a female - type of white - winged widowbird foraging in the open area by the airport .
the white - winged widowbird takes on more than a single mate ( it is bigamous ) .
white - winged widowbird ( euplectes albonotatus ) is a species of bird in the ploceidae family .
adult male white - winged widowbird , euplectes albonotatus ( formerly ; coliuspasser albonotatus ) , also known as the white - shouldered or white - fronted widowbird , the cinnamon - shouldered widowbird , the long - tailed black whydah or as the white - winged whydah , photographed at tarangire national park , tanzania , africa .
museum specimens indicate historical distributions . the map below shows locations from which museum specimens of white - winged widowbird were collected . you can see more information on the individual museum specimens of white - winged widowbird here .
the white - winged widowbird ( latin name euplectes albonotatus ) is described in roberts birds of southern africa , 7th edition . this bird has a unique roberts number of 829 and you will find a full description of this bird on page 1033 also a picture of the white - winged widowbird on page 1025 . the white - winged widowbird belongs to the family of birds classified as ploceidae . according to the percy fitzpatrick institute of african ornithology the white - winged widowbird is also known by these other names : white - winged whydah .
the latest sighting details and map for white - winged widowbird are only available to our birdguides ultimate or our birdguides pro subscribers .
the white - winged widowbird is resident in its range , and only moves locally during the dry season . the flight is strong and powerful .
birds & birding in the kruger national park south africa . in roberts 6 this bird was called white - winged widow
the nesting habit of white - winged widowbird is to create the nest in branches of a tree or shrub . the bird lays eggs which are green in colour and number between 2 to 5
protection / threats / status : the white - winged widowbird is relatively common in most of the range and são tomé , but less common in nw of the range . the species is widespread in cultivated land and disturbed habitats , and also occurs in protected areas . the population is suspected to be stable , and currently , the white - winged widowbird is evaluated as least concern .
habitat : the white - winged widowbird prefers habitats with rank vegetation and water such as moist grassland and marshy areas . it also frequents roadsides with tall grasses , and overgrown areas at edges of cultivated land .
the white - winged widowbird adult male in breeding plumage has black plumage overall including the head . however , on the upperwing , the black primaries have white bases , whereas the secondaries show white bases and narrow buff edges . the lesser coverts are bright yellow and the black median coverts have buffy edges . the black tertials and also primary and greater coverts show broad white edges . this pattern forms a white wing patch conspicuous in flight , with a white and yellow epaulet on shoulder . the fairly long , fan - shaped tail is black . on the underparts , the underwing coverts are white . the bill is blue - grey . the eyes are dark brown . legs and feet are dark grey .
one of the first indicators to take note of when trying to identify a bird is it relative size . for example how big is the bird compared to a well known familiar bird . the white - winged widowbird is a small bird about the size of a house sparrow . do not take this relative indicator as anything other than a rough easy to remember indicator . it is not a accurate visualization . the height of the white - winged widowbird is about 15 cms and its weight is about 23 gms
calls and songs : sounds by xeno - canto the white - winged widowbird is rather quiet . it utters a rustling sound followed by throaty double chirp “zeh - zeh - zeh” and “squee - squee - squeege - squeege” given both from perch and in flight .
introduction : the white - winged widowbird is currently included in the subfamily ploceinae within the large family plodeidae ( weavers ) . this species is relatively common throughout most of the range in sub - saharan africa , and mainly in e , se and south africa . it frequents moist or marshy areas and tall grassland where it feeds on seeds of grasses and insects . it is gregarious outside breeding season and may form large flocks at communal roosts . it is resident in its range . the white - winged widowbird has currently stable population and the species is not globally threatened .
14 cm ; 20–27 g , female 16–24 g . distinctive widowbird with medium - long tail . male nominate race breeding has black plumage , except for white bases of primaries , . . .
my research , integrating behavioural ecology , ecophysiology , and molecular techniques , will focus on the costs and functions of yellow carotenoid colouration in several widowbird species . additionally , i will investigate the function and interaction of colour signal polymorphisms across sympatric populations of two white - winged widowbird ( e . albonotatus ) subspecies , testing the significance of sexual selection and species recognition as positive selection pressures on these signals .
behaviour in the wild : the white - winged widowbird feeds primarily on seeds of grasses of several species . it also drinks the nectar of mountain aloe ( aloe marlothii ) . it may occasionally hawk termites alates in flight , but it returns to a perch to eat them . it feeds mainly on the ground and among vegetation , usually in small groups .
distribution of white - winged widowbird in southern africa , based on statistical smoothing of the records from first sa bird atlas project ( © animal demography unit , university of cape town ; smoothing by birgit erni and francesca little ) . colours range from dark blue ( most common ) through to yellow ( least common ) . see here for the latest distribution from the sabap2 .
craig , a . ( 2018 ) . white - winged widowbird ( euplectes albonotatus ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
subspecies and range : the white - winged widowbird has three subspecies . e . a . eques occurs in central african republic , w and s sudan , s and e ethiopia , w rwanda , w burundi , s uganda and kenya , s to s tanzania . in this race , the breeding male has cinnamon - brown epaulets ( not yellow ) , whereas the female has cinnamon edges to lesser wing - coverts .
polygynous , territorial solitary nester , as one male may mate with up to 4 females in a breeding season , defending his territory against other males as well as other widowbird and bishop species .
previous studies have investigated the function of red carotenoid colour signals ( intrasexual competition ) and elongated tails ( female choice ) in several red coloured widowbird species , however , yellow colouration has not been studied in this genus .
reproduction of this species : the breeding season varies according to the range , but the main laying period takes place between december and february / march . the white - winged widowbird male builds several nest frames , at least two , about 10 - 25 metres apart . the nest is oval with a large side - top entrance . it is supported by vertical grass stems woven into the roof . it waves a framework of both dry and semi - green grass . the female takes part in nest - building and brings finer dry grass to make a thick , woven layer used as lining , which may project as a porch . this structure is placed between 0 , 30 and 1 , 50 metre above the ground , in dense grass .
the white - winged widowbird is polygynous , territorial and solitary nester . a single male usually mates with up to four females during the breeding season . the territory is defended against other males , but also other widowbirds and bishops including the southern red bishop . during the displays , the male sings from high perch . it adopts an erect posture with the nape feathers ruffled and the tail fanned and lowered . it also performs a flight display during which the tail is spread . it flies with exaggerated wingbeats to enhance the bright colours of the epaulets . when a female lands in the territory , the male comes to the ground , usually among grasses , and starts displaying with hunched wings and fanned tail . it bounces up and down while calling . it may also display at nest always while singing . it hangs from the entrance with quivering wings . when the female is ready for copulation , she raises her wings , the tail is quivering and she gives piping calls .
the non - breeding male has mostly brown upperparts with dark central streaks to feathers . the shorter tail is dark brown , but all rectrices show paler edges . on the underparts , chin and throat are whitish . breast and flanks are buffy - white , slightly streaked on flanks and breast sides . belly and undertail coverts are whitish . on the head , we can see a broad , whitish supercilium . the ear - coverts are buffy - brown , and there is a dark stripe behind the eye . the bill is blue - black .
hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .
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lars petersson , holger teichmann , paul van giersbergen , balcha , mauriravasini , tomasz doroń , james kashangaki , peter boesman , frédéric pelsy , stefan helming , tadeusz stawarczyk , liam hughes , loutjie , robert erasmus .
although it has localised populations in sudan , ethiopia and angola , it mainly occurs from tanzania , zambia and malawi to southern africa . here it is fairly common in zimbabwe , mozambique and north - eastern south africa , extending into the caprivi strip ( namibia ) and botswana . it generally prefers habitats with rank vegetation and water , such as moist grassland and marshes , but also in disturbed areas and cultivated land .
it mainly eats the seeds of grasses , supplemented with nectar and insects . the following food items have been recorded in its diet :
the nest is built solely by the male , consisting of an oval - shaped structure with a large side - top entrance , built of dry grass and lined by the female with finer grass . it is typically placed about 0 . 3 - 1 . 3 metres above ground in dense grass , which is incorporated into the roof of the nest .
egg - laying season is from october - may , peaking from december - march .
it lays 2 - 4 eggs , which are incubated solely by the female for about 12 - 14 days .
the chicks are only fed by the female , leaving the nest after about 11 - 14 days and becoming independent about 22 - 25 days later .
hockey par , dean wrj and ryan pg 2005 . roberts - birds of southern africa , viith ed . the trustees of the john voelcker bird book fund , cape town .
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the map of the kruger you see on this page shows the areas ( coloured orange ) where this bird has been identified . the basic information was provided by the avian demographic unit based at uct and i created the maps from that information . . . the green dots show the locations of the various kruger national park rest camps
for in - depth birding information please refer to these authoritative avian references . . .
the main reference source for this data was
roberts - birds of southern africa , 7th edition
. other references were
newmans birds of the kruger park
by keith newman published circa 1980 . names in foreign languages were obtained from the percy fitzpatrick institute of african ornithology , university of cape town website , urltoken
this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : euplectes albonotatus . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .
a short clip with some high locustella - like sounds and then some odd nasal noises .
calls from a non - breeding plumaged male bird perched on a wire along a dike surrounded by open wetlands . lots and lots of talking by local children in the background unfortunately .
a group of several hundreds birds at roost site in tall grass ; approximatively 1 hour after dawn . the birds take off in several rolling waves .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
hybrids with “red bishop” , probably e . franciscanus , reported in captivity . race eques appears to interbreed with nominate in s tanzania , but may be segregated in burundi and w tanzania . proposed race sassii ( described from nw shore of l tanganyika ) synonymized with eques . three subspecies recognized .
, s & e ethiopia , e drcongo , w rwanda , w burundi , uganda ( mainly w & s ) and kenya s to s tanzania .
( reichenow , 1892 ) – são tomé , w gabon , s congo , w drcongo and angola .
( cassin , 1848 ) – s tanzania , se drcongo , zambia , malawi , ne namibia ( caprivi strip ) , n & e botswana , zimbabwe , mozambique , swaziland and e south africa .
song , both from perch and in flight , a swizzling phrase ,
squee - squi - squeeze twirr zem - zem - zem . . .
tall bushed grassland in relatively dry country , generally below 2000 m ; also rank growth of weeds . . .
breeds sept–oct in sudan , jun in ethiopia ; feb–apr in rwanda and s drcongo ; peak mar–jun and recorded also sept and dec . . .
predominantly resident . local movements evident ; seasonal visitor to darfur region of sudan , where . . .
not globally threatened . locally common in most of range , including são tomé ; uncommon in nw of range . widespread in agricultural landscapes , as well as in . . .
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del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . , fishpool , l . d . c . , boesman , p . and kirwan , g . m . 2016 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 2 : passerines . lynx edicions and birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .
justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
the global population size has not been quantified , but the species is described as common in east and south - east africa ( fry and keith 2004 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .
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image : dan logen , 17 january 2010 [ velociraptorize ] . nikon d300 f . 8 , 600 mm lens with 1 . 4 extender . f / 8 , 1 / 640 sec iso 500
whenever there is a strong difference in form and colour between males and females of a species this implies that females are selecting to mate with males that have exaggerated characters . typically , in such systems , males are not monogamous and do not provide any parental care . instead , males hold territories and court females and try to mate with as many of them as they can .
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taxonomic source ( s ) del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . , fishpool , l . d . c . , boesman , p . and kirwan , g . m . 2016 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 2 : passerines . lynx edicions and birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk . dowsett , r . j . ; forbes - watson , a . d . 1993 . checklist of birds of the afrotropical and malagasy regions . tauraco press , li sibley , c . g . ; monroe , b . l . 1990 . distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world . yale university press , new haven , usa .
population justification : the global population size has not been quantified , but the species is described as common in east and south - east africa ( fry and keith 2004 ) .
trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .
— nf . , rameau , palme , ( d arbre , de famille . . . ) : branshe nf . ( aix , albanais . 001 , annecy . 003 , billième , chambéry . 025 , compôte bauges , cordon . 083 , saxel . 002 , table , thônes . 004 ) , branste ( albertville . 021 , flumet , giettaz , notre dame be . 214 ) , brantse… …
— nf . koucha ( montagny bozel ) , kucha ( cordon . 083b ) , kwéche & lt ; fourche ( d un arbre ) ; grosse branche & gt ; ( 083a ) , kwékha ( samoëns ) , kwéssa ( albanais , albertville , annecy , arvillard , combe si . 018 , flumet , giettaz , notre dame be . , thônes , villards… …
— nf . ( outil , en bois , en fer ou en plastique , pour remuer surtout le foin ) ; fourche d un vélo , d une moto : feûrshe nf . ( albanais . 001 , annecy . 003 , balme si . 020 , cordon . 083 ) , forshe ( thônes . 004 ) , fourshe ( villards thônes . 028 ) , fwarshe ( aix . 017 ) | | …
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roberts birds of south africa by g . r . mc lachlan and r . liversidge – the trustees of the john voelcker bird book fund – isbn : 0620031182
the adult female resembles non - breeding male but she has brown wings . the lesser coverts are brown with yellow fringes . the underparts are whiter , less buffy than in male . the bill is brown , like legs and feet . the juvenile resembles female , with some yellow wash on the upperparts .
e . a . asymmetrurus is found in são tomé , w gabon , prcongo , w drcongo and angola . in this race , the breeding male has much longer tail ( 13 cm ) .
e . a . albonotatus ( described above ) is found in s tanzania , se drcongo , zambia , malawi , ne namibia , n and e botswana , zimbabwe , s mozambique , swaziland and e south africa .
the female lays 2 - 4 pale greenish - blue eggs with olive - green speckles . she incubates alone during 12 - 15 days . at hatching , the chicks are naked with pink skin . they are fed first by regurgitation by the female . they leave the nest 11 - 14 days after hatching , and are independent 22 - 25 days later . eggs and chicks are eaten by mice , and the nests are destroyed by predators , including humans . some nests are parasitized by the diederik cuckoo .
the focus of my phd research is colour communication and speciation in african widowbirds ( genus euplectes ) . across the 17 species in this genus , polygamous males undergo a nuptial moult which displays varying amounts of yellow or red carotenoid colouration and , in some species , graduated elongated tails .
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euplectes ardens ardens ( syn . : euplectes ardens tropicus ) ( syn . : euplectes ardens concolor ) *
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the reference for the information following is
roberts birds of southern africa
, 7th edition * edited by par hockey , wrj dean and pg ryan , published by
the trustees of the john voelcker bird book fund .
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i once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment . . . and i felt that i was more distinguished by that circumstance than i should have been by any epaulet i could have worn .
use what talents you possess : the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best .
god loved the birds and invented trees . man loved the birds and invented cages .
technically . . . we ' re not supposed to be here
.
bird - watchers are tense , competitive , selfish , shifty , dishonest , distrusting and - above all else - envious . i know many who are generous , witty and delightful company - but they ' re no fun !
to a person uninstructed in natural history , his countryside or seaside stroll is a walk through a galley filled with wonderful works of art , nine - tenths of which have their faces turned to the wall
.
one of the things that makes birding so exciting is that the birds are so mobile . you never know what you ' ll see . . . you must be constantly alert , watching and listening all around .
look out the window . see a bird . enjoy it . congratulations . you are now a bad birdwatcher .
a weird screechy howl , which rises in a nerve - shattering crescendo , to peter out like a cry of a lost soul falling into a bottomless pit .
the southern african bird atlas project ( sabap1 ) in namibia gathered a huge amount of distribution data between 1970 and 1993 .
ver time , these will give valuable information on population distribution , habitat requirements , trends and so on .
if you have a lot of records and it would be very time - consuming to enter them manually you can also send us a spreadsheet with the details , and associated photos . use the contact us form to get in touch .
euplectes is a genus of passerine bird in the weaver family , ploceidae . it contains the bishops and widowbirds . they are all native to africa south of the sahara . it is believed that all birds in the genus are probably polygynous . [ 1 ]
red - headed fody ( f . eminentissima ) ( comoro fody and aldabra fody if species split )
cuckoo - finch also called parasitic weaver ( a . imberbis ) ( probably belongs in viduidae )
craig , adrian j . f . k . ( 1980 ) .
behaviour and evolution in the genus
this page was last modified on 22 july 2015 , at 14 : 39 .
this article ' s content derived from wikipedia , the free encyclopedia ( see original source ) .


lasius arizonicus is a species of ant belonging to the genus lasius , formerly apart of the genus ( now a subgenus ) acanthomyops .

described in 1917 by wheeler , the species is native to the united states .

lasius arizonicus

the above specimen data are provided by antweb . please see lasius arizonicus for further details
combination in acanthomyops : creighton , 1950a pdf : 431 ; in lasius : ward , 2005 pdf : 13 .
mealybugs tended by lasius umbratus are covered in thick , waxy filaments . here , a worker relocates a small bug . illinois , usa
honeydew from root aphids ( aphidae : eriosomatinae ) is an important part of the diet of the subterranean ant lasius nearcticus . new york , usa
lasius californicus citronella ants with their mealybugs . citronella ants are among the most abundant ants in north america , but as these insects are strictly subterranean most people never see them . california , usa
ward , p . s . 2005 . a synoptic review of the ants of california ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . zootaxa 936 : 1 - 68 ( page 13 , revived combination in lasius ( acanthomyops ) )
buren , w . f . 1950 . a new lasius ( acanthomyops ) with a key to north american females . proc . entomol . soc . wash . 52 : 184 - 190 pdf ( page 184 , raised to species )
richard — i recognize your name from bugguide . this isn’t my blog , but one i frequent , so good to see you drop in . anyway , in fact all the acanthomyops do in fact have citronellol in their mandibular gland secretions , so i would second your guess about confusion with other lasius . some of those other yellow ones are quite shiny and have reduced , though not completely lost , terminal maxillary palp segments .
similar in appearance to lasius interjectus , but averaging and ranging smaller . body pilosity very sparse and long ; gula usually with no standing hairs , occasionally with 1 inconspicuous short hair , rarely with 2 or 3 standing hairs . pubescence very dilute , especially on gaster ; body surface highly glabrous . worker dorsum of propodeum convex , often strongly so . crest of petiolar scale sharp to moderately sharp , weakly to strongly emarginate . color , yellow to yellowish brown . queen crest of petiolar scale sharp to moderately sharp , weakly to strongly emarginate . color reddish brown . male crest of petiolar scale sharp to very sharp ; emarginate , straight or convex . color , dark brown . ( wing 1968 )
hardwood forests , especially in riparian areas , pinyon - juniper forests , pine oak transition . ( mackay and mackay 2002 )
alate dates eight dated samples contained alates . the extreme dates are june 13 and august 8 . on june 13 , queens alone were captured on 2 occasions . dealate queens were taken on july 6 and 8 . it is likely that flights begin by mid - june . the collection on august 8 contained workers and males ; it is probably a nest collection . thus flights may still occur as late as early august .
the following information is derived from barry bolton ' s new general catalogue , a catalogue of the world ' s ants .
: ward , 2005 : 13 . raised to species : buren , 1950 : 184 . see also : wing , 1968 : 90 .
unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description .
wing ( 1968 ) - type locality : huachuca mts . , cochise co . , arizona . syntypes in the museum of comparative zoology .
creighton , w . s . 1950a . the ants of north america . bull . mus . comp . zool . 104 : 1 - 585 ( page 431 , combination in acanthomyops )
mackay , w . p . and e . mackay . 2002 . the ants of new mexico ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . edwin mellen press , lewiston , ny .
wheeler , w . m . 1917a . the mountain ants of western north america . proc . am . acad . arts sci . 52 : 457 - 569 pdf ( page 532 , worker described )
wing , m . w . 1968a . taxonomic revision of the nearctic genus acanthomyops ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . mem . cornell univ . agric . exp . stn . 405 : 1 - 173 ( page 90 , queen , male described , see also )
this page was last modified on 3 november 2016 , at 14 : 19 .
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upcoming events 2018 bugguide gathering in virginia july 27 - 29 : registration and discussion photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in wisconsin , july 10 - 12 photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in virginia , june 4 - 7 . photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in arizona , july 25 - 28 photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in alabama photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in iowa photos from the 2010 workshop in grinnell , iowa photos from the 2009 gathering in washington
contributed by james c . trager on 27 april , 2011 - 1 : 40pm
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you may know the classic story about how ants and aphids live together in an ecological partnership . aphids feed ants their excess sugars in the form of honeydew , and in return ants protect the aphids against predators and carry them to new host plants .
you may know the classic story about how ants and aphids live together in an ecological partnership . aphids feed ants their excess sugars in the form of honeydew , and in return ants protect the aphids against predators and carry them to new host plants . the relationship forms a sort of miniature version of humans and their domesticated livestock .
below , i share a selection of photos of these mysterious subterranean systems . they span many species on several continents , but look closely and you will see the ants and their livestock show convergently similar adaptations to cramped soil interspaces : short legs , pale coloration , reduced eyes .
a cross - section of an urban lawn reveals plump pink ground pearls ( margarodidae ) feeding on grass , and tiny solenopsis molesta thief ants tending them for honeydew . urbana , illinois , usa
a few centimeters underground , solenopsis molesta thief ants tend to ground pearls tapped into grass roots . illinois , usa
citronella ants only emerge briefly above ground for their annual mating flights . illinois , usa .
linepithema micans astride a ground pearl . the
pearl
is a honeydew - producing scale insect that feeds on the sap of roots . rio grande do sul , brazil
lifting a large stone reveals a nest of pheidole big - headed ants with their ground pearls . tolima , colombia .
acropyga goeldii is so dependent on its mealybug associates that young queens carry a bug with them on their flights to start a new colony . minas gerais , brazil
an acropyga acutiventris worker ant grabs one of her
cattle
and runs for cover when the photographer uncovers her nest . queensland , australia .
the views expressed are those of the author ( s ) and are not necessarily those of scientific american .
alex wild is curator of entomology at the university of texas at austin , where he studies the evolutionary history of ants . in 2003 he founded a photography business as an aesthetic complement to his scientific work , and his natural history photographs appear in numerous museums , books and media outlets .
discover world - changing science . explore our digital archive back to 1845 , including articles by more than 150 nobel prize winners .
scientific american is part of springer nature , which owns or has commercial relations with thousands of scientific publications ( many of them can be found at urltoken ) . scientific american maintains a strict policy of editorial independence in reporting developments in science to our readers .
students of the north american myrmecofauna will undoubtedly recognize this ant . pudgy , pleasingly orange in color , and smelling sweetly of citrus , the citronella ant is an endearing creature . this nearctic endemic is among our most common ants , living in underground empires farming root aphids and mealybugs for sustenance .
yet few people ever encounter these shy insects . they emerge above ground for only a few hours each year , in late summer to see off the colony’s winged reproductives .
aydin — the ants do not actually eat the hemipterans , but rather , their sugary waste product known as honeydew . they have an excess of sugar in their plant sap diet , and a specialized mechanism for excreting this while concentrating other nutrients .
mrilta — different species fly at different times of the summer . merl wing’s revision of the ( sub - ) genus , complete with detailed flight records , is accessible here urltoken
the bad news is that “we” have at least a couple of laisus workers misidentified as acanthomyops in bugguide . but at least now , i know .
this blog is an archive ; the myrmecos blog has moved . please update your bookmarks !
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is also a commonly seen species , building grassy hillocks in undisturbed pasture . in the alps , these mounds - always aligned east to catch the first rays of the rising sun - have been traditionally used by goatherds as natural
species , known collectively as
moisture ants
in the united states , make their nests in and around moist rotting wood as well as under rocks .
they can infest buildings , particularly foundation forms in contact with soil , becoming a minor nuisance .
they are not considered a structural threat because they only make their galleries in wood that is already decayed .
some species build
cartonlike
nests in moist locations made of decayed wood fragments cemented together with honeydew and the ant ' s mandibular gland secretions .
workers are monomorphic , 2 to 3 mm long , yellow to dark brown .
they are secretive , and forage mostly at night for honeydew and other sweet substances , and may also prey on small insects .
winged reproductive males and females swarm in late summer and fall , which is when building infestations may be noticed .
) , another structure - infesting species , by being much smaller , and having a notch in the dorsal thorax ( top of the center body division ) , where carpenter ants have a rounded thorax .
. ucanr publications , division of agriculture and natural resources , university of california . pp .
this article is issued from wikipedia - version of the 10 / 25 / 2016 . the text is available under the creative commons attribution / share alike but additional terms may apply for the media files .
scholar commons > usf libraries > environmental sustainability > ijs > vol . 45 ( 2016 ) > iss . 3
a global list of ant species recorded from caves is compiled from the literature .
a summary of ant records and behavioral observations from caves in arizona ( usa ) is presented .
observations of hypogeic ants suggest they do not forage at great depth in caves .
this work is licensed under a creative commons attribution - noncommercial 4 . 0 license
pape , robert b . . 2016 . the importance of ants in cave ecology , with new records and behavioral observations of ants in arizona caves . international journal of speleology , 45 : 185 - 205 . available at : urltoken