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Swordfish

Xiphias gladius

Fish · family Xiphiidae · order Carangiformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
3 states[3]

The swordfish (Xiphias gladius) is a fish in the family Xiphiidae[4]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the swordfish a global rank of G5, which it describes as Secure[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[5]. The swordfish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. The USFWS data was checked on 2026-10-30[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Near threatened

Where Swordfish lives

NatureServe lists the swordfish as native in 3 US states and territories: Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[3]. State ranks differ. Rhode Island is SNR, South Carolina is SU and Texas is S3[6]. These lists show where NatureServe records the fish, not where you are sure to find it.

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SUSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S3TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[6].
Show state ranks (3 states)
StateRankMeaning
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaSUUnrankable
TexasS3Vulnerable

Habitat

NatureServe records the habitat type of the swordfish as pelagic[7].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[7]

When to look for it

Public observation records of the swordfish in the United States on GBIF fall in every month of the year[8]. Most records come in May, July and August[8]. These records show when people look and report, not how many fish there are[8].

January: 6,406 recordsJanFebruary: 5,910 recordsFebMarch: 6,849 recordsMarApril: 7,157 recordsAprMay: 9,115 recordsMayJune: 8,986 recordsJunJuly: 9,109 recordsJulAugust: 9,758 recordsAugSeptember: 9,107 recordsSepOctober: 9,000 recordsOctNovember: 7,129 recordsNovDecember: 5,677 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January6,406
February5,910
March6,849
April7,157
May9,115
June8,986
July9,109
August9,758
September9,107
October9,000
November7,129
December5,677

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Swordfish as present in 2 park units[9]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Massachusetts[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the swordfish endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure[2]. The IUCN category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[5].
Where do swordfish live in the US?
NatureServe lists them as native in Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[3]. GBIF records are most numerous for California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina and Massachusetts, but that follows where people report, not population size[10].
What kind of habitat does the swordfish use?
NatureServe records its habitat as pelagic[7].
When are swordfish reported most often?
GBIF records peak in May, July and August, though they appear in every month[8]. This reflects when people look and report[8].

Facts and sources

  1. Swordfish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Swordfish: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Swordfish as native in 3 US states and territories: Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) is a fish in the family Xiphiidae, order Carangiformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Near threatened. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Swordfish (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. Habitat types NatureServe records for Swordfish: Pelagic. NatureServe Explorer
  8. GBIF observation records of Swordfish in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  9. NPSpecies park lists recording Swordfish as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Swordfish: California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Massachusetts. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.