International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

GUIDE FOR THE IDENTIFICATIONOF ATLANTIC ISTIOPHORIDS
FAO-ICCAT CodeBILLFirst dorsal ﬁnLongitudinal
stripes ofcolored spots

Head proﬁleBill

First anal ﬁnPelvic ﬁn
Pectoral ﬁn

Pectoral – Fork Length (PFL)
Lower jaw – Fork length (LJFL)
Total length (TL)

Anus to anal ﬁn (AFA)

Positionof anal
opening

Location of lateral scale sampling(above or below lateral line)

Anal ﬁnheight (AFH)

Authors:
Freddy Arocha1, Lawrence Beerkircher2
12Instituto Oceanográﬁco de Venezuela-Universidad de Oriente, Venezuela
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Marine Fisheries Service, USAWHM

Tetrapturus albidus

Common sizes reported in ﬁsheries LJFL 77 - 280 cm;
maximum length 280 cm TL• First dorsal ﬁn high at anterior but much lower for most of length;
membrane covered with many small round dark spots. Anterior dorsal ﬁntip may be rounded or truncated.
• First anal ﬁn tip round or truncated.
• Anal opening relatively close to anterior origin of ﬁrst anal ﬁn (AFA < ½AFH).
• Several rows of longitudinal stripes on sides, usually fade after death.
• Lateral scales narrow, generally single points.
• Symmetrical gonads.

SPG

Tetrapturus georgii

Common sizes reported in ﬁsheries LJFL 131 - 192 cm;
maximum length 192 cm TL• First dorsal ﬁn high at anterior but much lower for most of length; may haveirregular dark spots. Anterior dorsal ﬁn tip truncated.
• First anal ﬁn tip truncated.
• Anal opening relatively far from anterior origin of ﬁrst anal ﬁn (AFA ~ ½ to¾ AFH).
• Several rows of longitudinal stripes on sides, usually fade after death.
• Lateral scales broad based, generally multiple points• Asymmetrical gonads.

SPFTetrapturus pﬂuegeri

Common sizes reported in ﬁsheries LJFL 95 - 186 cm;
maximum length 186 cm TL• First dorsal ﬁn long and pointed at anterior part, rather high throughout itslength.
• First anal ﬁn tip pointed.
• Anal opening far from anterior origin of ﬁrst anal ﬁn (AFA ~ ¾ to >= AFH).
• ‘Head proﬁle’ nearly straight.
• Lateral scales narrow, generally multiple points.
• Generally not striped, but live specimens sometimes show rows oflongitudinal stripes on sides.
• Asymmetrical gonads.

MSP

Tetrapturus belone

Common sizes reported in ﬁsheries LJFL 95 - 195 cm;
maximum length 240 cm TL• Short bill
• First dorsal ﬁn long and rounded at anterior part, rather high throughout itslength.
• Anal opening far from anterior origin of ﬁrst anal ﬁn (AFA ~ ¾ to >= AFH).
• First anal ﬁn tip pointed.
• Pectoral ﬁn short and narrow.
• ‘Head proﬁle’ nearly straight.
• Asymmetrical gonads.

BUM

Makaira nigricans

Common sizes reported in ﬁsheries LJFL 95 - 350 cm;
maximum length 450 cm LJFL

• Body robust and thick in cross section.
• ‘Head proﬁle’ very steep.
• First dorsal ﬁn long and pointed at anterior part, lower at posterior part.
• Lateral line forming a reticulated system in young ﬁsh; obscure in adults.
• Anal opening close to anterior origin of ﬁrst anal ﬁn.
• Several rows of longitudinal stripes on sides, each composed of pale blue
round spots on body.
• Symmetrical gonads.

JuvenileSAI

Istiophorus albicans

Common sizes reported in ﬁsheries LJFL 80 cm - 250 cm;
maximum length 315 cm LJFL

• First dorsal ﬁn large, sail-like, considerably higher than body depth
throughout most of its length, highest at mid-ﬁn; membrane covered withmany small round dark spots.
• Pelvic ﬁns very long with well developed membrane, almost reaching analopening.
• Anal opening close to anterior origin of ﬁrst anal ﬁn.
• Several rows of longitudinal stripes on sides, each composed of many lightround dots.
• Symmetrical gonads.
Acknowledgements, photo and drawing credits:
NOAA/NMFS-USA; IOV/UDO-Venezuela; M. Gatt (MRRA)-Malta; Eric Prince - NOAA/NMFS-USA; L. Gallagher - Portugal

Juvenile