by Playfuls Staff |
26th February 2007
U.S. scientists say they have identified a new species of fish that closely resemble the threatened white [more] marlin.
Researchers at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla., and the school's Guy Harvey Research Institute, say many fish believed to be white marlins might have been roundscale spearfish, which bear a close resemblance to the white marlin. And that raises concerns about the remaining numbers of the threatened white marlin species.
A team of university and government scientists has confirmed the existence of the enigmatic billfish species closely resembling the heavily fished, overexploited white marlin.
That brings into doubt the future of the threatened white marlin, as recent population assessments might have been overestimated since the species is virtually indistinguishable from the previously unrecognized roundscale spearfish.
The discovery and its implications are detailed in the current issue of the journal Bulletin of Marine Science.
© 2007 UPI
