Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)

The Linnaean system of taxonomic classification places bluefish in Phylum Chordata, Class Actinopterygii, Order Perciformes, and Family Pomatomidae. Members of Chordata have a notochord; whereas class Actinopterygii consists of the ray-finned fishes (Nelson 76). The order Perciformes is the largest order of vertebral animals, and the most diversified of all the fish orders. Indeed, the Perciformes dominate vertebrate ocean life. The family Pomatomidae is represented by two genera, Pomatomus and Scombrops, and three species (Nelson 350-351). The fish are exclusively marine, and have the following features: (1) separate dorsal fins; (2) a first dorsal fin with 7-8 spines; (3) a second dorsal fin with 1 spine; (4) 13-28 soft rays; (5) a black blotch at the base of the pectoral fin; (6) 26 vertebrae; (7) a forked caudal fin; (8) a complete lateral line; and (9) small, almost cycloid, scales (Nelson 350-351).

Bluefish may reach a length of nearly 4 feet; moreover, they can weigh as much as 27 pounds. On average though, the fish range between about 3 and 10 pounds. Although there are occasional reports of 40 pound bluefish in African markets, the official rod-and-reel record as of 1989 is held by James Hu

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t speeds of up to 30 feet per second. Feeding schools have found to leave a trail of mutilated fish fragments and blood that extends for miles (Anderson 335-338). Occasionally, bluefish may engage in a "feeding frenzy ('Mini jaws' 24)." According to Dr. James W. Atz, an ichthyologist with the American Museum of Natural History, during such frenzies the fishes' feeding impulse takes precedence over their normal behavior. As Atz has said, "In a feeding frenzy, bluefish will drive other fish ashore and beach themselves, and attack members of their own species. They will eat until gorged, disgorge the food and then eat again ('Mini jaws' 24)." Under such conditions, bluefish may even attack people. In the past decade, large schools of fish pursuing mullet off Florida's east coast have bitten and injured dozens of swimmers (McClane 26). Pomatomus saltatrix spawns during the spring and summer. There appears to be some latitudinal variation in the fishes' reproductive behaviors. In southern areas spawning occurs about 5 months earlier than in northern areas. The exact location of bluefish spawning remains a mystery. Some believe that the fish spawn inshore in estuarine areas; indeed, fully ripe bluefish have been taken from
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Styrofoam Krist, Atlantic Coast, Sanders Haynes, Natural History, La Monte, Pomatomus Scombrops, Wildlife Service, North Atlantic, Moyle Cech, Service NMFS, pomatomus saltatrix, krist 22-24, anderson 335-338, mcclane 26, sanders haynes, bluefish pomatomus saltatrix, ristori 18-21, perlmutter 364-365, bluefish pomatomus, la monte, atlantic coast, la monte 80, 'mini jaws' 24, sanders haynes 670-674, krist 22-24 moreover,
Approximate Word count = 1958
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)