Swordfish (Xiphius gladius) is found in all oceans of the world. These fish are great migrators that winter and breed in warm waters, and then travel to cooler waters to feed over the summer. This large fish can reach about 15 feet in length. One caught near Chile in 1953 weighed 1,182 pounds. The long curved, somewhat narrow, pointed dorsal fin and pointed pelvic fins will help identify this species. This fish is considered excellent human food, but is no longer recommended because of the presence of mercury in larger individuals. There is a nice color drawing of this species on page 74-75 of the Diamond handbook on fishes of Britain and Europe.

The bill fish family is a salt water family found worldwide in warmer and tropical waters. The family is composed of fish where the upper jaw is formed into a long bill which is somewhat round in cross section. Most species are dark blue above and paler blue below. There are many popular game fish in this family including the sailfish and the marlins.

These fish are generally found in open deep water. The method of fishing usually comprises dragging a bait along the surface of the water.

Perch-like Fish, Order Perciformes, are the largest order of fish in both freshwater and shallow saltwater. Most of the conventional fish belong to this order. The bass, bluegills, perch and crappies of freshwater plus the groupers and sea bass of salt water belong to this order. The fish all have spiny rays in their fins and the tail fin has seventeen rays. There are approximately 150 families. Herein, we have placed the families in alphabetical sequence within this order. (In some instances the typical taxonomic sequence of families is not much help. Consider, for example, that the barracudas are usually placed between the mullets and the threadfins.)

Bony fish, Class Teleostomi, are a class of chordates that include the majority of fish-like animals found on earth. They are characterized by a bony jaw and a bony skeleton. They are found in both fresh and marine waters.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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