By Obiabin Onukwugha
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), also known as broadbills in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill.
These fish are found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Scientists note that Swordfish prefer water temperatures between 18 and 22 °C (64 and 72 °F),[2] but have the widest tolerance among billfish, and can be found from 5 to 27 °C (41 to 81 °F).
It is said that Swordfish lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. Their nose is more likely used to slash at its prey to injure the prey animal, to make for an easier catch. Mainly, the swordfish relies on its great speed and agility in the water to catch its prey.
They are not schooling fish as they swim alone or in very loose aggregations, separated by as much as 10 m (35 ft) from each other.
They are said to be highly migratory and typically moves towards colder regions to feed during the summer. Their feeding takes place most often at night, when they rise to surface and near-surface waters in search of smaller fish.
Adults feed on a wide range of pelagic fish, such as mackerel, barracudinas, silver hake, rockfish, herring, and lantern fishes, but they also take demersal fish, squid, and crustaceans.
Swordfish are classified as oily fish and many organisations, including the United States Food and Drug Administration, warn about potential toxicity from high levels of methylmercury in swordfish.
To reproduce, females release millions of buoyant eggs into the water column, where they are fertilized by clouds of sperm provided by male swordfish. Once fertilized, the eggs incubate for a few days to several weeks. Eggs that aren’t eaten or damaged lead to the hatching of tiny larval swordfish, which measure only 4 millimeters long with extremely tiny snouts.
As they transition from their larval to juvenile stage, swordfish bills grow quite quickly and start to resemble the sword-like bill we see in adults.
Fishing and other human activities are currently the most significant threats to swordfish populations worldwide.
They are able to effectively hunt and capture a variety of prey species, which makes them an important part of the marine ecosystem.
Traditional belief about the swordfish
Legends say Achilles traveled to Troy seeking revenge for the kidnapping of his wife, Helen. When Achilles met an unscrupulous fate in Paris, the Trojans rushed in to avenge him. Soldiers who refused to join the battle threw themselves into the ocean in grief over their fallen leader. When Thetis, Achilles Mother, saw their sacrifice, she took pity on the soldiers and the turned them into Fish and allowed them to keep their sword to use in their new form, as the swordfish.
