Higher Classification: > Kingdom Animalia > Subkingdom Eumetazoa > Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrata > Infraphylum Gnathostomata > Parvphylum Osteichthyes > Gigaclass Actinopterygii > Subclass Neopterygii > Class Teleostei > Order Carangiformes > Family Xiphiidae > Genus Xiphias

Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758

Rank: Species
Taxon Status: accepted

Relationships towards this taxon

Genus group names

*Xiphias*	Linnaeus, 1758	accepted genus name

Vernaculars (+) (-)

Basque: ezpata-arrain

Catalan: emperador; peix espasa sources: TermCat, The Center for Terminology.

Czech: mečoun obecný

Danish: svaerdfisk sources: Gallagher, L.; Porteiro, F.; Dâmaso, C. (2006). Guia do consumidor dos peixes Açoreanos [Consumer's guide to Azorean fish]. Universidade dos Açores: Açores. ISBN 972-8612-27-3. 51, pictures pp.

Dutch: zwaardvis sources: Nijssen, H.; de Groot, S.J. (1987). De vissen van Nederland: systematische indeling, historisch overzicht, het ontstaan van de viskweek, uitheemse vissoorten, determineersleutels, beschrijvingen, afbeeldingen, literatuur, van alle in Nederlandse wateren voor komende zee- en zoetwatervissoorten [Fishes of the Netherlands: systematic classification, historical overview, origins of fish culture, non-indigenous species, determination keys, descriptions, drawings, literature references on all marine and freshwater fish species living in Dutch waters]. KNNV Uitgeverij: Utrecht, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-5011-006-1. 224 pp.

English: swordfish; swordfish sucker sources: Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2025). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (06/2024).;Gillespie, G. E. (1993). An updated list of the fishes of British Columbia, and those of interest in adjacent waters, with numeric code designations. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1918: 116 p.

Finnish: miekkakala sources: Davidson, A. (2001). North Atlantic fish cookbook [Noord-Atlantisch viskookboek]. Scepter: Bussum, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-72653-14-9. 556 pp.

French: espadon sources: Nijssen, H.; de Groot, S.J. (1987). De vissen van Nederland: systematische indeling, historisch overzicht, het ontstaan van de viskweek, uitheemse vissoorten, determineersleutels, beschrijvingen, afbeeldingen, literatuur, van alle in Nederlandse wateren voor komende zee- en zoetwatervissoorten [Fishes of the Netherlands: systematic classification, historical overview, origins of fish culture, non-indigenous species, determination keys, descriptions, drawings, literature references on all marine and freshwater fish species living in Dutch waters]. KNNV Uitgeverij: Utrecht, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-5011-006-1. 224 pp.

Galician: peixe espada

German: Schwertfisch sources: Nijssen, H.; de Groot, S.J. (1987). De vissen van Nederland: systematische indeling, historisch overzicht, het ontstaan van de viskweek, uitheemse vissoorten, determineersleutels, beschrijvingen, afbeeldingen, literatuur, van alle in Nederlandse wateren voor komende zee- en zoetwatervissoorten [Fishes of the Netherlands: systematic classification, historical overview, origins of fish culture, non-indigenous species, determination keys, descriptions, drawings, literature references on all marine and freshwater fish species living in Dutch waters]. KNNV Uitgeverij: Utrecht, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-5011-006-1. 224 pp.

Greek: Ξιφίας sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Hebrew: דג החרב sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Icelandic: sverðfiskur sources: Davidson, A. (2001). North Atlantic fish cookbook [Noord-Atlantisch viskookboek]. Scepter: Bussum, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-72653-14-9. 556 pp.

Italian: pesce spada; pisci spada sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points;Gallagher, L.; Porteiro, F.; Dâmaso, C. (2006). Guia do consumidor dos peixes Açoreanos [Consumer's guide to Azorean fish]. Universidade dos Açores: Açores. ISBN 972-8612-27-3. 51, pictures pp.

Japanese: メカジキ sources: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. (2009 onwards). Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL). Accessed on 2018-11-21.

Lithuanian: durklažuvė sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Norwegian: sverdfisk sources: Gallagher, L.; Porteiro, F.; Dâmaso, C. (2006). Guia do consumidor dos peixes Açoreanos [Consumer's guide to Azorean fish]. Universidade dos Açores: Açores. ISBN 972-8612-27-3. 51, pictures pp.

Norwegian Bokmål: sverdfisk sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Norwegian Nynorsk: sverdfisk sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Polish: miecznik; ryba miecz; wlócznik; włócznik sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points;Davidson, A. (2001). North Atlantic fish cookbook [Noord-Atlantisch viskookboek]. Scepter: Bussum, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-72653-14-9. 556 pp.

Portuguese: agulha; espadarte sources: Davidson, A. (2001). North Atlantic fish cookbook [Noord-Atlantisch viskookboek]. Scepter: Bussum, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-72653-14-9. 556 pp.;Gallagher, L.; Porteiro, F.; Dâmaso, C. (2006). Guia do consumidor dos peixes Açoreanos [Consumer's guide to Azorean fish]. Universidade dos Açores: Açores. ISBN 972-8612-27-3. 51, pictures pp.

Russian: mech-ryba; Меч-рыба; сабленка; саблянка sources: Davidson, A. (2001). North Atlantic fish cookbook [Noord-Atlantisch viskookboek]. Scepter: Bussum, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-72653-14-9. 556 pp.;A.Boltachev & E. Karpova, IBSS NAS Ukraine;Volvenko, I. V.; Orlov, A. M.; Gebruk, A. V.; Katugin, O. N.; Ogorodnikova, A. A.; Vinogradov, G. M.; Maznikova, O. A. (2019). Checklist of the trawl macrofauna from the North Pacific and adjacent seas with information about fishery importance, potential product yield, and price range, supplement to: Volvenko, Igor V; Orlov, Alexei M; Gebruk, Andrey V; Katugin, Oleg N; Ogorodnikova, Alla A; Vinogradov, Georgy M; Maznikova, Olga A (in prep.): Trawl macrofauna of the Far-Eastern Seas and North Pacific: proportion of commercial species, potential product yield, and price rang. Earth System Science Data. PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science.;PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Scottish Gaelic: colgán

Slovenian: mečarica sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Spanish, Castillian: pez espada sources: Gallagher, L.; Porteiro, F.; Dâmaso, C. (2006). Guia do consumidor dos peixes Açoreanos [Consumer's guide to Azorean fish]. Universidade dos Açores: Açores. ISBN 972-8612-27-3. 51, pictures pp.

Swedish: svärdfisk sources: Gallagher, L.; Porteiro, F.; Dâmaso, C. (2006). Guia do consumidor dos peixes Açoreanos [Consumer's guide to Azorean fish]. Universidade dos Açores: Açores. ISBN 972-8612-27-3. 51, pictures pp.

Turkish: kilic baligi; kılıç balığı sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Ukrainian: меч-риба; Риба-меч; Риба-меч звичайна sources: PESI (A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure) focal points

Welsh: pysgodyn cleddyf

Literature

original description	Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p.
basis of record	van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 357-374
additional source	Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2025). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco. Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2025.
additional source	King, C.M.; Roberts, C.D.; Bell, B.D.; Fordyce, R.E.; Nicoll, R.S.; Worthy, T.H.; Paulin, C.D.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Keyes, I.W.; Baker, A.N.; Stewart, A.L.; Hiller, N.; McDowall, R.M.; Holdaway, R.N.; McPhee, R.P.; Schwarzhans, W.W.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Rust, S.; Macadie, I. (2009). Phylum Chordata: lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals. in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. pp. 431-554.
additional source	Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp.
additional source	Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. China Science Press. 1267 pp.
additional source	Scott, W.B.; Scott, M.G. (1988). Atlantic fishes of Canada. Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. No. 219. 731 pp.
additional source	Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2025). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (06/2024).
additional source	McEachran, J. D. (2009). Fishes (Vertebrata: Pisces) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 1223–1316 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.
ecology source	Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. Scientific Data. 10(1).

Genbank

External Links

FishBase images (Xiphias gladius, by CAFS)
FishBase

Citation

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2025). FishBase. Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758. Via: Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvantidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2011) European Register of Marine Species, Accessed through PESI at http://www.eu-nomen.eu/portal/taxon.php?GUID=urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:127094