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Marlin dorsal fin spine
The 21cm long Marlin dorsal fin spine was brought to the Australian Museum for identification by Mario Ulliana, who found it at Bawley Point, on the southern coast of New South Wales. Australian Museum Fish Collection registration number (AMS I.39055-001). View larger image.
Marlin skeleton in the Skeleton Gallery
This impressive 21cm long spine was brought to the Australian Museum for identification by Mario Ulliana, who found it at Bawley Point, on the southern coast of New South Wales.
While it is impossible to be 100% certain, it is highly likely that the spine is one of the dorsal fin spines of a large billfish such as a Marlin (view the Black Marlin fact sheet).
Fish Section staff compared the spine with the dorsal fin spines of the 190cm long Marlin skeleton in the Skeleton Gallery. They were almost identical.
Further reading
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Nakamura, I. 1985. FAO Species Catalogue. An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Marlins, Sailfishes, Spearfishes and Swordfishes known to Date. Vol. 5. Billfishes of the World. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125 5: 1-65.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Edition 2. Crawford House Publishing. Pp. 557.
- See also Billfish Skeleton enquiry.
