spearfish

Spearfish are large pelagic fish in the billfish family Istiophoridae, known for their elongated, spear-like bills and fast swimming. They inhabit warm and temperate seas worldwide and are related to marlins and sailfish. The name refers to two commonly recognized species: the shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris) and the longbill spearfish (Tetrapturus pfluegeri). Both have slender, streamlined bodies with a pronounced rostrum and a deeply forked tail, enabling fast bursts in open water. Specimens can reach roughly 1.5 to 2.5 meters in length and weigh several tens of kilograms, depending on age and sex.

Spearfish live in the open ocean, typically in subtropical to tropical waters, where they pursue small fish and cephalopods. They are fast, migratory predators that may travel large distances to feed and to reach spawning grounds. Their bills are used to injure or immobilize prey by slashing in rapid strikes.

Reproduction is not well documented in all populations, but as with other billfish, internal fertilization and live birth are believed to occur, with females bearing relatively few, large offspring compared with many bony fishes.

Humans fish spearfish commercially and recreationally for meat and fins, and they are often caught as bycatch in other pelagic fisheries. Management varies by region, and sport fishers commonly practice catch-and-release to support conservation.