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Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --Apple-Mail-359-983089602 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Bernard, There's no doubt that the fish you photographed is a Swordfish. The large lateral keel on the caudal peduncle is characteristic of the species. Also note the large eye and the gradual shading on the sides of the body, unlike the sharp changes in coloration that are found laterally on the sides of Blue and White Marlin. The belly of the fish is not visible in the photos I looked at, but Swordfish also have no pelvic fins, another characteristic feature. The sword must indeed have been broken off at some point, which may have contributed to the untimely death of this individual since the swords do assist them in capturing prey and feeding. Cheers! Chris On 9-Aug-09, at 9:52 PM, bernard burke wrote: > All > > I just returned from a quick visit to River Bourgeois, Cape Breton > and while visiting relatives, a neighbor of theirs dropped by and > mentioned that there was a porpoise beached on the shore below his > home. After walking the short distance over and taking a look at the > individual myself, I realized that although the neighbors intentions > were good, I felt quite certain that the beached animal more closely > resembled a Swordfish. Upon returning to Dartmouth I looked in both > my saltwater fish guide books and the closest illustration in both > books I felt was in fact the Swordfish. My trouble with my I.D. is > that the "sword" portion of the head looks much shorter then the > illustrations in my guide books. As best as we could tell, the bill > did not appear to be shortened, although the carcass has appeared to > have sustained some damage by scavengers on the eyes and other > locations on the body. If anyone with more knowledge of our larger > coastal fishes can assist with the identification, it would be > greatly appreciated. The aproximate length of this fish would be ten > feet from the tip of its "sword" to the end of its tail. Here are > some photos: > > http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615403828_Hhk7b/Medium > > http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615423229_DGCQN/Medium > > http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615404354_RsojR/Medium > > http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615404925_dEnhZ/Medium > > Bernard Burke > blburke@ns.sympatico.ca > Dartmouth Christopher Majka - Atlantic Canada Coleoptera http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca --Apple-Mail-359-983089602 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi = Bernard,<div><br></div><div>There's no doubt that the fish you = photographed is a Swordfish. The large lateral keel on the caudal = peduncle is characteristic of the species. Also note the large eye and = the gradual shading on the sides of the body, unlike the sharp changes = in coloration that are found laterally on the sides of Blue and White = Marlin. The belly of the fish is not visible in the photos I looked at, = but Swordfish also have no pelvic fins, another characteristic = feature.</div><div><br></div><div>The sword must indeed have been broken = off at some point, which may have contributed to the untimely death of = this individual since the swords do assist them in capturing prey and = feeding. </div><div><br></div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br></div><div>C= hris</div><div><br><div><div>On 9-Aug-09, at 9:52 PM, bernard burke = wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote = type=3D"cite"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: = separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; = font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; = font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; = orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; = white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div = bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><div><font face=3D"Arial" = size=3D"2">All</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">I = just returned from a quick visit to River Bourgeois, Cape Breton and = while visiting relatives, a neighbor of theirs dropped by and mentioned = that there was a porpoise beached on the shore below his home. After = walking the short distance over and taking a look at the individual = myself, I realized that although the neighbors intentions were good, I = felt quite certain that the beached animal more closely resembled a = Swordfish. Upon returning to Dartmouth I looked in both my saltwater = fish guide books and the closest illustration in both books I felt was = in fact the Swordfish. My trouble with my I.D. is that the "sword" = portion of the head looks much shorter then the illustrations = in my guide books. As best as we could tell, the bill did not = appear to be shortened, although the carcass has appeared to have = sustained some damage by scavengers on the eyes and other locations on = the body. If anyone with more knowledge of our larger coastal = fishes can assist with the identification, it would be greatly = appreciated. The aproximate length of this fish would be ten feet from = the tip of its "sword" to the end of its tail. Here are = some photos:</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"><a = href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615403828_Hhk7b= /Medium">http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615403828_Hhk7= b/Medium</a></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"><a = href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615423229_DGCQN= /Medium">http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/16/615423229_DGCQ= N/Medium</a></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"><a = href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/