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Istiophorus platypterus

Akurā Peau

Indo-Pacific Sailfish

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Sailfish, Bayonet Fish, Pacific Sailfish; French Voilier Indo-Pacifique

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Akurā Peau (RR), Akurā Tamaru (MG AT), ‘Aurā Pē‘au (MK), ‘Aurā Tāmaru (MT), Akurā (AK), Akura (PL), Sakulā Talapuhipuhi (TS), Sakurā Tarapuhipuhi (TW), Akulā Toa / Akulā Tala (PK); Other Polynesian - Haurepe (TAH)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Easter, Hawai‘i - tropical America; n. to s.Japan; s. to NZ (to 45°S)

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group - very rare; N.Group - rare; Marine, pelagic 0-30m

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Food, Gamefish

KEY FEATURES: [ 360cm and 100kg - GBR]

Enlarged Image of 'Istiophorus platypterus'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P	P					P

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
			+

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw, 1792)
SYNONYMS: Istiophorus platyperus [misspelling]; Xiphias platypterus [O]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Scombroidei; XIPHIIDAE, Istiophorinae

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens long-liner late60s early 70s, ID R.Powell (Sims88). Palmerston: Listed (Preston95). Pukapuka: fieldspecimen, 200cm (lower jaw tip to tailfork), 2/2004, Walemaki Vainui by handline from canoe, somebody catches one every 3-4 months, ID G.McCormack.

References:
p.445 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.604 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 96-05 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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