Tetrapturus
Makaira
This article refers to the fish. for other uses see Marlin (disambiguation)
A marlin is a large game fish, also called a spearfish. It has an elongated body, up to 2.5 m long, a spearlike snout, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forwards to form a crest. Marlins are fast swimmers, occurring in all seas and hunting small fish.
The larger species include the blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, which grows to 4.6 m (14.6 feet) long and around 450 kg (992 pounds). They are popular sporting fishes in certain tropical areas and are also commercially important as a food fish.
A marlin is a primary character in Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.
