Swordfish also secrete oil from pores on their heads to create a lubricating oil layer that may further reduce drag and increase their swimming efficiency, according to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The fish use their swords and large, streamlined bodies to reduce drag and streak through the water. In other words, these speeds may be about as fast as animals can swim in water because they would injure themselves by traveling faster.ĭomenici thinks swordfish could still be the fastest fish in the ocean, despite likely not being able to travel much faster than 22 mph. The researchers found that bubbles created by the animals while swimming can collapse on their fins and may cause damage if they travel faster than 10 to 15 meters per second, or 22 to 34 mph (36 to 54 km/h). The descriptions for how the swim speed was measured are not very clear or reliable, according to Domenici.Ī 2007 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface suggests that over 62 mph may be well beyond the physical limits of any fish or cetacean (porpoises, dolphins and whales). However, this figure comes from Russian research translated into English and published in the early 1960s. Swordfish ( Xiphias gladius) are also contenders for the title of fastest swimming animal, with an estimated top speed of over 62 mph (100 km/h). Related: Sailfish stealthily slash prey with bills Swordfish: 22 to 62 mph (36 to 100 km/h)Ī swordfish swimming in shallow water. Domenici co-authored a 2016 study published in the journal Biology Open that estimated the maximum swimming speed for sailfish is only about 19 mph (30 km/h). "When we did that we ended up having at most something around 8 to 10 meters per second, not much higher than that," he said. He and his colleagues used tags and videos to measure sailfish tail-beat frequencies - the fish equivalent of stride lengths - to calculate how fast they may be able to travel. "As of now, there isn't really a very clear measure of the fastest speed in potentially fast fish," Domenici told Live Science. According to Domenici, the widely cited sailfish top speed comes from a Country Life magazine article published in 1941, which isn't a scientific journal, making the data questionable. Paolo Domenici, a biologist at the Italian National Research Council's Institute of Biophysics (IBF), has doubts about sailfish and other marine animals swimming over 62 mph (100 km/h). However, some experts believe these large fish are actually much slower. Sailfish ( Istiophorus) are a group of fish that scientists often consider to be the fastest fish in the ocean, with a reported top speed of more than 68 mph (110 km/h), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (Image credit: Alastair Pollock Photography via Getty Images) Related: The secret to cheetahs' speedy stride found Fastest animals in water Sailfish: 19 to 68 mph (30 to 110 km/h)Ī sailfish swimming off Isla Mujeres in the Caribbean Sea. They have long, slender bodies and powerful legs to help them reach their top speeds so they can chase down speedy prey, such as gazelles. During this sprint in 2009, he reached a top speed of 27.8 mph (44.7 km/h), according to the Olympics website.Ĭheetahs live in northern, eastern and southern Africa, with a small population in Iran in Asia. The fastest human ever, Olympic runner Usain Bolt, holds the world record for running the same distance in 9.58 seconds. One cheetah from the Cincinnati Zoo named Sarah was recorded running the 100-meter sprint in 5.95 seconds, Live Science previously reported. These big cats are the fastest land animals and are capable of running at a top speed of 60 to 70 mph (96 to 112 km/h). In the animal Olympics, cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus) would dominate the sprinter races.
(Image credit: Winfried Wisniewski via Getty Images) A cheetah runs in Serengeti National Park.