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swordfish
swordfish large food and game fish, Xiphias gladius, of the warmer Atlantic and Pacific waters, related to the sailfish. It is named for its sharp, broad, elongated upper jaw, which it uses to flail and pierce its prey of smaller fish, rising beneath a school to kill and then devour. Swordfish breed as far N as Nova Scotia; they are often seen basking on the water's surface, and their fins are sometimes mistaken for those of sharks. They may reach 15 ft (457 cm) and 1,000 lb (450 kg); however, specimens half this size are considered large. Swordfish were formerly harpooned commercially but now are taken using long lines with multiple baited hooks. Conservation efforts are underway to rebuild depleted stocks. Swordfish are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Osteichthyes, order Perciformes, family Xiphiidae. |
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"swordfish." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "swordfish." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-swordfis.html "swordfish." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-swordfis.html |
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swordfish
swordfish (broadbill) Marine fish found worldwide in temperate and tropical seas. A popular food fish, it is silvery-black, dark purple, or blue. Its long, flattened upper jaw, in the shape of a sword, is one-third of its length and used to strike at prey. Length: to 4.5m (15ft); weight: 530kg (1180lb). Family Xiphiidae; species Xiphias gladius.
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"swordfish." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "swordfish." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-swordfish.html "swordfish." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-swordfish.html |
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swordfish
sword·fish / ˈsôrdˌfish/ • n. (pl. same or -fishes) a large edible marine fish (Xiphias gladius, family Xiphiidae) with a streamlined body and a long flattened swordlike snout, related to the billfishes and popular as a game fish. |
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"swordfish." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "swordfish." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-swordfish.html "swordfish." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-swordfish.html |
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swordfish
swordfish (Xiphias gladius) See XIPHIIDAE.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "swordfish." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "swordfish." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-swordfish.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "swordfish." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-swordfish.html |
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swordfish
swordfish Oily fish, Xiphias gladius.
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DAVID A. BENDER. "swordfish." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAVID A. BENDER. "swordfish." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-swordfish.html DAVID A. BENDER. "swordfish." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-swordfish.html |
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swordfish
swordfish
•raffish • damselfish
•catfish, flatfish
•garfish, starfish
•redfish
•elfish, selfish, shellfish
•devilfish
•crayfish, waifish
•stiffish • kingfish • jellyfish
•killifish • filefish • pipefish
•white fish
•offish, standoffish
•codfish • dogfish • rockfish • crawfish
•swordfish
•blowfish, oafish
•goldfish
•bonefish, stonefish
•wolfish
•huffish, roughish, toughish
•mudfish • monkfish • cuttlefish
•lungfish • lumpfish • spearfish
•angelfish • parrotfish • silverfish
•haggish, waggish
•vaguish
•biggish, piggish, priggish, whiggish
•doggish, hoggish
•roguish, voguish
•puggish, sluggish, thuggish
•largish
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Cite this article
"swordfish." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "swordfish." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-swordfish.html "swordfish." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-swordfish.html |
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