Also called the orca, this beautiful marine mammal with its sleek black and white livery has been clocked at 32 miles per hour when leaping out of the water.
Flying fish don’t actually fly, but they do leap out of the water while attaining speeds as fast as 35 miles per hour. Sometimes they leap so high that they land on boat decks.
Bluefin tuna is an unusual fish, for it is warm-blooded. All tuna species are warm-blooded but the bluefin’s warm-bloodedness is exceptionally efficient.
The mako shark is another fast, powerful, warm-blooded fish that makes good eating and is endangered. There are two species of this shark, which is related to the great white.
Bonito is a small fish even though it to can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour. It is a member of the mackerel family, and there’s an Atlantic and Pacific species.
killer whale, the pilot whale is actually a large dolphin and can attain speeds of 47 miles per hour. Also called the blackfish, this animal is highly intelligent as well as fast.
yellowfin tuna is warm-blooded, and though its circulatory system isn’t as efficient as the bluefin’s, it appears that it can swim even faster at 50 miles per hour.
The very fastest fish in the oceans are the billfish, and this includes the swordfish, named for its long, flattened beak, or sword.
Another billfish, the sailfish, can reach speeds of 68 miles per hour as it leaps out of the water or plunges into a school of prey fish.
Though the sailfish is thought to be the fastest animal in the ocean, the black marlin may best it, and there is a story of one fish reaching 82 miles per hour.