The Sailfish (Istiophorus) is a genus of fish that lives in warm waters worldwide.
River Monsters[]
Prehistoric Terror[]
Jeremy Wade caught an Indo-Pacific Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) while searching for a modern analog to the prehistoric Xiphactinus. While Xiphactinus resembled a Tarpon more closely, it was a fast, blue-water hunter, similar to the Sailfish.
Description[]
The Sailfish is a member of the Marlin family. It possesses a long, streamlined body, a tall, extended dorsal fin, and a long, sharp rostrum. Sailfish grow extremely quickly, and are also some of the fastest fish in the ocean, considered by many to be the fastest.
Trivia[]
- In the episode, Jeremy stated that Sailfish could reach 78 mph. While this was accepted at the time of filming, research from 2015-2016 suggests a maximum speed of a more modest, albeit still impressive, 33 mph.