Species learning profile

Shortbill spearfish

Tetrapturus angustirostris

Shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris) is a saltwater fish associated with open ocean habitat in Indo-Pacific. Its bill is notably short compared with other billfishes.

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খোলা সমুদ্রIstiophoridae

At a glance

পানি
লোনা পানি
Habitat
খোলা সমুদ্র
সর্বোচ্চ দৈর্ঘ্য
230 cm
বিস্তৃতি
ইন্দো-প্যাসিফিক
গোত্র
Istiophoridae
বর্গ
Istiophoriformes

Observe

How to identify Shortbill spearfish

  • Its bill is notably short compared with other billfishes.
  • Guide context: open ocean habitat in Indo-Pacific.
  • Reported maximum length: 230 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with open ocean habitat across Indo-Pacific. With little fixed shelter, currents, temperature fronts, depth, and moving prey define its open-ocean world.

Behavior

Lives far offshore and hunts near the surface

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

Small fish, squid, and crustaceans.

Ecological role

A little-seen pelagic predator.

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Shortbill spearfish প্রায় 230 সেমি পর্যন্ত বড় হয় এবং সাধারণত খোলা সমুদ্র-এর কাছে থাকে।

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Wide-ranging ocean fish can cross many jurisdictions, so bycatch, harvest limits, and international cooperation matter.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with Shortbill spearfish in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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