Fish Identification Photos: Pacific Cutlassfish, Trichiurus nitens: The Pacific Cutlassfish has spectacular, mirror-like, metallic, chrome-plated sides, with a blue upper back and dusky pectoral fins.

The body is elongated and very compressed. The head of the Pacific Cutlassfish has a long snout with a projecting lower jaw, large mouth with large fangs and a large eye. The tail comes to a sharp point with no fins at all.

The Pacific Cutlassfish reaches a length of 7.5 feet but is more common between 2 feet and 4 feet in length. The world record, as of 2005, is 8 pounds 1 ounce. It is normally collected by commercial deep trawlers found in all parts of the water column up to 1,200 feet. It is of limited interest and deemed to be of poor food value due to an abundance of small bones.

The Pacific Cutlassfish is a member of the Trichiuridae family which consists of Cutlassfish and Hairtails. In general, they have elongated ribbon-like bodies that are strongly compressed and taper to a slender tail. They have a barracuda-like mouth equipped with large fangs. They have a long dorsal fin base that extends the length of the body of which the soft rayed part is longer than the spinous part. They have inconspicuous anal fins, usually a small caudal fin, no pelvic fins, small pectoral fins; scales are absent from the body. They are voracious predators.

Globally, 32 species of Trichiuridae from 9 genera have been identified of which only 2 species are found in the waters of Mexico, the Channel Scabbardfish in the waters of the Atlantic, and the Cutlassfish in the waters of the Pacific.

Pacific Cutlassfish, Trichiurus nitens: Mike Bales with a Pacific Cutlassfish caught at Estanque, Isla Angel de la Guarda, Midriff Islands, Sea of Cortez, near Bahia de los Angeles (L.A. Bay), Baja California, water temperature 80 degrees. It hit a Luhr Jensen Stinger on the surface so hard, the lure went into its mouth and came out through its gill. Description and photos courtesy Gene Kira.