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Tina Valler
Period 5/6

The swordfish was first described in 1758 by Linnaeus. It was given the name Xiphias gladius which is still used in present day. The Family of this fish is Xiphiidae, Order is Perciformes, and the Class is Actinopterygii. When it is translated into English, the Latin term gladius means "sword", referring to the long sword-like bill the fish possesses. Some of the English common names include broadbill, broadbill swordfish, and many others. The swordfish 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 them.

This fish is unlike any other species in the ocean and doesn't resemble any other billfish. The color varies from black to grayish blue, brown, metallic purple, or bronze. The sides are dusky, and it is long and flat. This fish lacks scales, teeth, and pelvic fins. It has single keel on each side of the body in front of the tail. The......

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Approximate Word Count: 1087
Approximate Pages: 5 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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