PELAGIC FISH Class OSTEICHTHYES PISCES Subclass ACTINOPTERYGII Superorder

PELAGIC FISH Class OSTEICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ACTINOPTERYGII Superorder TELEOSTEA Order PERCIFORMES Family XIPHIIDAE Xiphias gladius 100 -440 cm; 100 -540 Kg Fast swimmer. From surface down to 650 m Maxillar elements enlarged in a rostrum (the sword) Absence of abdominal fins Distributed between 45° N and S

Eggs buoyant (up to 80. 000 / female) Reproductive season extrended Larvae of 3 -5 mm, with teeth Planktophagous-ichthyophagous Gregarious, in surface waters (warm) Sexual maturity (adulthood) at 1 – 3 years Adults solitary Females > males Predators not specialized

Traditional fishing with harpoon from Feluca in the Strait of Messina, june-august, daytime Surface captures Female before PALANCARO A long line (also 1 Km) Many fish-hooks (hundreds) and relative allurements to capture pelagic predators SPADARA A long net (up to 8 Km) with wide mesh size (up to 35 cm) to capture only large species. Now < 2 Km and < 15 cm mesh size

Other swordfish Class OSTEICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ACTINOPTERYGII Superorder TELEOSTEA Order PERCIFORMES Family ISTIOFORIDAE Tetrapturus spp Makaira spp Istioforus sp

Other pelagic predators Class OSTEICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ACTINOPTERYGII Superorder TELEOSTEA Order PERCIFORMES Family CORYPHAENIDAE Coryphaena hippurus Class OSTEICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ACTINOPTERYGII Superorder TELEOSTEA Order PERCIFORMES Family CARANGIDAE Seriola dumerilii Class OSTEICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ACTINOPTERYGII Superorder TELEOSTEA Order BELONIFORMES Family BELONIDAE Belone belone

Other pelagic predators Class CHONDRICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ELASMOBRANCHII Superorder SELACHIMORPHA Order 8 CARTILAGINEOUS SKELETON VENTRAL MOUTH GANOID SCALES NAKED GILL SLITS ETEROCERCOUS CAUDAL FIN

Other pelagic predators Class MAMMALIA Subclass EUTHERIA Order CETACEA Suborder ODONTOCETI BREATHING ANIMALS (LUNGS; APNAEA) LARGE BRAINS ONE NOSE OPENING ON THE HEAD TOP NO TASTING PAPILLAE NO VOCAL CHORDS NO POSTERIOR LEGS (MUTICA) ECHOSOUND SENSITIVITY

Other pelagic predators Class MAMMALIA Subclass EUTHERIA Order CETACEA Suborder ODONTOCETI Sperm whales Squids (mimicry; bioluminescence) Migration Behaviour

Other pelagic predators Class MAMMALIA Subclass EUTHERIA Order CARNIVORA Superfamily PINNIPEDIA Families ODOBOENIDAE PHOCIDAE OTARIIDAE BREATHING ANIMALS (LUNGS; APNAEA) SWIMMING BEHAVIOUR TERMIC ISOLATION (FUR, FAT) FOOD Prawns and krill Fish and squids Benthic molluscs Birds and seals

Other pelagic predators Class AVES (BIRDS) Order BREATHING ANIMALS (LUNGS; APNAEA) SWIMMING BEHAVIOUR FEEDING BEHAVIOUR REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR MIGRATION SPHOENISCIFORMES PROCELLARIIFORMES CHARADRIIFORMES PELECANIFORMES

Other pelagic predators Class REPTILIA Order TESTUDINES (CHELONII) BREATHING ANIMALS (LUNGS; APNAEA) SWIMMING BEHAVIOUR FEEDING BEHAVIOUR REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR MIGRATION SALT BALANCE

Not only predators SHARKS Class CHONDRICHTHYES (PISCES) Subclass ELASMOBRANCHII Superorder SELACHIMORPHA Order EUSELACHI Family CETORHINIDAE Cetorhinus maximus Filter feeder (no teeth) Up to 10 m and 10 tons (the largest fish, after the whale shark) Very common near the surface