Besides the white marlin (*K. albida*), which other species is recognized as belonging to the *Kajikia* genus?
Answer
The striped marlin (*K. audax*)
The genus *Kajikia* encompasses at least two recognized, distinct species within the marine environment. These two species are the white marlin, scientifically designated as *Kajikia albida*, and the striped marlin, identified as *Kajikia audax*. Modern genetic studies have definitively established that these two species are separate entities, moving away from older classification systems that sometimes considered them regional variations or subspecies of a single, broader marlin type. This close genetic relationship within *Kajikia* means they share a more recent common ancestry compared to their separation from species classified in the *Makaira* genus, such as the blue and black marlins.
Related Questions
To which genus does the white marlin, Kajikia albida, belong within the billfish family Istiophoridae?What key difference exists in the first dorsal fin structure between the white marlin and the blue marlin?What specific evolutionary event is noted to have occurred earlier than the split between the Istiophorus and Makaira clades?Which genus contains the spearfish, separating it from the white marlin's genus, Kajikia?What IUCN Red List status is currently applied to the white marlin (*Kajikia albida*) due to historical declines?What physical trait is used to distinguish the white marlin's bill structure from that of the black marlin?Besides the white marlin (*K. albida*), which other species is recognized as belonging to the *Kajikia* genus?What life history trait makes the white marlin particularly vulnerable to overfishing according to its conservation profile?What specific type of evidence has solidified the understanding that white, black, and striped marlin are genetically distinct species?What is suggested about the white marlin's evolutionary niche based on its slender bill and smaller size compared to its *Makaira* cousins?