Swordfish is one of the fastest of all fish. Its scaleless, muscular body is designed for high-speed swimming. This fish can swim at speeds up to 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour.
The swordfish is known for its long, flattened upper jaw, which looks like a sword. Most swordfish have a brownish-black body with a light brown underside. They also have large eyes and dark, crescent-shaped fins.
Most swordfish measure 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) long. They weigh about 150 to 300 pounds (70 to 135 kilograms). The largest swordfish ever caught was nearly 15 feet (4.6 meters) long. It weighed 1,182 pounds (536 kilograms).
The “sword” or bill of a swordfish is strong. The bill may measure about one-third as long as the fish’s body. The bill is probably used to break up schools of fish and leave individual fish open to attack. A swordfish swallows its prey whole because it has no teeth. The bill may also aid the swordfish in swimming. Its coarse surface breaks the flow of water around the fish. Rough water allows the swordfish to swim more easily. Swordfish sometimes use their bills to attack small boats.
This fish lives in temperate to tropical ocean waters. On calm days, its back and tail fins can be seen above the water. It occasionally leaps completely out of the water. But swordfish are able to swim more than 2,000 feet (610 meters) below the surface. They often feed on deep-sea fishes. Swordfish also eat squid.
Swordfish was once considered unsafe to eat. But now it is a popular food fish. Because it is difficult and dangerous to catch, the swordfish is also prized as a sport fish.
