What key observation differentiates white marlin hunting from swordfish based on bill use analysis?
The majority of white marlin prey items show no slashing marks
When comparing stomach content analysis findings between white marlin and swordfish, a crucial difference emerges regarding the primary use of the bill, or rostrum, as a feeding implement. While both species utilize this appendage for feeding maneuvers, evidence suggests distinct techniques. For white marlin, the vast majority of consumed prey items retrieved from stomach contents exhibited a notable absence of the characteristic slashing marks often associated with bill use. This strongly implies that the white marlin's principal strategy for securing food relies heavily on sheer velocity and immediate pursuit, where they overwhelm or disable the prey through speed before ingestion, rather than systematically incapacitating it with the bill prior to consumption, which is a behavior more commonly associated with swordfish.
