Pacific Striped Marlin
Jack's Illustration 2nd Revision. 150 dpi.
Jack's Illustration Revised
Jack's illustration Draft_01
Notes:
From the reference photos, it looks like there is a greenish band that runs the length of the fish. Also the vertical white lines, on some reference images, turn darker towards the belly. Some images show these lines staying a light color. Please let me know which is correct. -Jack
Reference Materials:
Tetrapturus audax
Note: the major primary difference between this species and the Pacific blue marlin you
recently completed is that on this species, the vertical line markings down the body are
much more pronounced.
Physical Description:
The striped marlin is a large, oceanic fish with a long, round bill, small teeth and tall dorsal
fin which decreases in height ending just before the second dorsal fin. They also have rows of
blue colored stripes that are made up of smaller round dots or narrow bands.
The body of the striped marlin is elongate and compressed. The upper jaw is much
extended, forming a rounded spear. Smaller than the blue marlin, the striped marlin has a
dark steely blue back that is lined with dark cobalt blue or lavender stripes (coloration
varies with location), fading to a silvery white underside.
The first dorsal fin at its highest point, is from 75% to a 100% of the body depth, measured
at that point on the body, with the length going back to almost the second dorsal fin. The
striped marlin's dorsal fin is generally higher in its total height than other marlin species.
The dorsal fin has many dark black to purplish-black spots scattered throughout with a light
purplish or violet blue background. The anterior part of the dorsal is pointed like the blue
marlin. The second dorsal is slightly posterior to the second anal fin and is also pointed.
The pectoral fins of the striped are pointed, fold easily against the body and are slightly
shorter than the longer pectoral fins of the sailfish. Striped marlin pectoral fins are generally
straight, with a slight curve on the bottom. However, they are not as curved as the blue or
black marlin, nor are they as wide as the blue or black marlins.
The striped marlin has the most pronounced vertical line markings, hence the name.
Generally fourteen to twenty vertical stripes from the true gill plate to the caudal peduncle.
The stripes are prominent lavender to blue in color and they appear wider than the stripes
on sailfish and seem to be made up of various size dots to form lines.