User:DentistToBe/Striped marlin

The striped marlin (Kajikia audax) is a species of marlin found in tropical to temperate Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a desirable commercial and game fish. The striped marlin is a predator that hunts during the day in the top 100 m or so of the water column, often near the surface. One of their chief prey is sardines.

Description
The striped marlin consists of 42-48 rays on its tall first dorsal fin that is almost the same or longer than its body depth while the second dorsal fin is much smaller. They have torpedo-like and compressed bodies. They have around 12-20 clear, visible bluish stripes on the sides of their bodies even after death. These stripes can transform in color from blue-tinged to lavender. '''This occurs when the fish are excited because this state causes specialized pigmentation cells called chromatophores to contract or expand, resulting in a color change. ''' The color of their bodies is dark blue or black above and silvery-white on the bottom. Striped Marlin has an average length of 2.9 m (9.5 ft) and a maximum length of 4.2 m (13.8 ft) and can weight up to 220 kg (490 lb).

Habitat
'''The striped marlin is widely distributed around the world but is typically found in tropical and/or temperate water bodies (1). The species is epipelagic, meaning that it resides in the zone that is away from the shore but nearest to the surface of the water (2). A study on their habitat preferences utilized opportunistic occurrence data to determine that the eastern Pacific Ocean is among the most ideal bodies of water for the striped marlin to inhabit (3). Additionally, it was discovered that the largest populations of the striped marlin reside in water bodies with dissolved oxygen levels from 4.5-5.5 mL/L and a sea surface temperature between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius (3).'''

'One study determined that chlorophyll a'' levels are of the greatest importance when it comes to striped marlin distribution (3). High levels of chlorophyll a in a water body are indicative of high productivity, or nutrient level, within that aquatic ecosystem (4). An abundance of nutrients supports the growth of aquatic plants and algae, which in turn contributes to the congregation of species upon which the striped marlin preys (3). For this reason, the striped marlin is found in greater amounts in water bodies that contain high levels of chlorophyll a.'''

'''The striped marlin has also demonstrated diel vertical migration patterns (5). A study observed that the striped marlin tends to occupy deep regions of the water during the day. Alternatively, they typically gather near the surface of the water at night (5). These patterns were prominent in all of the regions tested in the study, including waters off of Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, California, and Ecuador (5).'''

Life Cycle
The striped marlin reaches sexual maturity at the age of 1-2 years for males and 1.5-2.5 years for females. '''The striped marlin spawns in multiple batches during the summer, with each spawning season consisting of anywhere from 4 to 41 spawning events because females release their eggs every couple of days. Consequently, the average female striped marlin can produce up to 120 million eggs in any given spawning season.''' They can live up to 10 years.