Talk:Swordfish

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hi this is cody This article is lacking in the distribution of the species. It is a global species with a large distribution, larger than other tunas and billfish (and most likely due to them having a larger heater organ). They also have the greatest vertical distribution, swimming to depths of 650m as opposed to 200m for other billfish species. They are capable of being at those depths for several hours. Also, it is believed that there are four stocks - Mediterranean, North Atlantic, South Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. Some good references:
Chow, S., Okamoto, H., Uozumi, Y., Takeuchi, Y. & Takeyama, H. 1997. Genetic stock structure of the swordfish (Xiphias gladius?) inferred by PCR-RFLP analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region. Marine Biology 127: 359-367.
Boyce, D. G., Tittensor, D. P. & Worm, B. 2008. Effects of temperature on global patterns of tuna and billfish richness. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 355: 267-276.
Sedberry, G. & Loefer, J. 2001. Satellite telemetry tracking of swordfish, Xiphias gladius, off the eastern United States. Marine Biology 139: 355-360. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.250.84.186 (talk) 04:43, 12 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

This article doesn't seem to cover the scales found on swordfish, which (as far as I know) do not fit into the normal categories of fish scales. Since they are (apparently) unique, this deserves some attention. However, I don't know anything about icthyology, so I do not want to attempt any changes to the article without advice. RK 19:49, Aug 5, 2004 (UTC)

"Ichthyologists recognize four types of fish scale. The kosher variety of scales are cycloid (round) and ctenoid (comblike). The ganoid scale found on sturgeon, or the placoid scale of the shark are specifically excluded from the Biblical term kaskeses since they are not 'removable' scales without tearing the skin from the flesh. Even an educated layman would not see any similarity between the heavy bony plates of the sturgeon or the needle-like projections on the shark skin and the classic kosher scale of the whitefish or carp.

"In Fishery leaflet #531, U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Wash. D.C., it states 'swordfish during early juvenile stage of life (up to 8 inches long), have "scales" that are markedly specialized and rather unique. They are in the form of bony tubercules or expanded compressed platelike bodies. These scales are rough, having spinous projections at the surface and they do not overlap one another as the scales in most fish do. With growth the scales disappear and the adult fish including those sold commercially have no scales.'

Excerpted from a Jewish article on the kosher status of swordfish.

Why swordfish in unclean

I was disappointed that the article doesn't mention the purpose of the sword - or is this not known? (cf this article) 0utsider 03:56, 11 Apr 2005 (UTC)

It does say it's for fighting, though maybe it didn't when you posted. I recall reading that it was covered with toxins or bacteria that would make fish or people sick if it cut them. Dunno if that's true, though. -:)Ozzyslovechild 03:53, 25 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The article mentions the fish being known as the gladiator (gladius) but gladius just means "sword" in latin, not gladiator. i guess i'm not understanding the connection between gladius and gladiator, besides having the same root.

IIRC, the swordfish hunts other fish by spearing them by the sword, shaking their bodies off, and then eating them. It weuld be great if someone could confirm that and place it in the article. Ppe42 02:10, 16 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Weight

From the Florid Museum of Natural History link given in the article:

"Swordfish reach a maximum size of 177 in. (455 cm) total length and a maximum weight of 1,400 lbs. (650 kg), although the individuals commercially taken are usually 47 to 75 in. (120-190 cm) long in the Pacific. Females are larger than males of the same age, and nearly all specimens over 300 lbs. (140 kg) are female. Pacific swordfish grow to be the largest, while western Atlantic adults grow to 700 lbs. (320 kg) and Mediterranean adults are rarely over 500 lbs. (230 kg). The IGFA all tackle record is 1182 lb. (536.15 kg)."

Why does the article list maximum weights more than twice as great as anything given by one of its own sources? PenguinJockey 23:51, 13 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Cooking should have a separate category

Could someone give me one reason that the section on swordfish reporduction also contains a few paragraphs about how it is cooked? How do those to things relate? In my opinion, the paragraphs on cooking and its image should be grouped with the section on harvesting, if not grouped into their own section. Fusion7 15:20, 28 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Plagarism

The "Recreational Importance" section is plagarized. Most of it is word-for-word out of the source, with some of the article cut out, and a few edits removing the first-person storytelling perspective out of the original article. Read that section and then the article it's copied from. Jdkkp (talk) 07:53, 22 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Hydrodynamics of the sword

Has any research been done to determine if the sword confers a hydrodynamic advantage? The very high speed of the swordfish suggests that the sword could provide a means of reducing turbulent flow by creating a "bow wave" considerably in advance of the body of the fish. --APRCooper (talk) 23:41, 7 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]