| Description: color
of back variable, black, greyish blue, brown, metallic
purple, or bronze; sides dusky; underbelly dirty white;
long, flat, sword-like upper jaw; lacks scales, teeth,
and pelvic fins; single keel on each side of body in
front of tail; first dorsal fin high, rigid and short;
large eyes. Similar
Fish: no close resemblance to other billfishes.
Where found:
OFFSHORE species worldwide in temperate and tropic
waters; known to frequent depths of 400 to 500 fathoms;
also has been seen basking at the surface.
Size: once averaged
200 pounds but overharvest has reduced size of
commercially caught swordfish to average of 48 inches.
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