Species: Coryphaena hippurus, Dolphinfish, Common Dolphinfish

Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758

Dolphinfish, Common Dolphinfish

Elongate compressed body; maximum height <¼ of SL; adult males with a bony crest on the forehead, and a near-vertical front snout profile; mouth large; numerous small teeth in bands on jaws; patch of teeth on tongue small and oval; dorsal and anal fins without spines; a long-based dorsal fin 55-65 rays extending from the nape almost to the tail fin; a long-based anal fin with concave anterior outer edge, extending nearly to the tail fin; no isolated finlets behind the dorsal or anal fins; pectoral fins ~>½ head length; pelvics short, fitting into groove on the belly; a large, deeply forked tail fin; small smooth scales; no hard spiny scales (scutes) on lateral line; lateral line with a sharp curve over pectorals.

Back brilliant metallic blue green, shading to golden yellow ventrally, with scattered iridescent blue-green spots; dorsal fin deep blue green; tail, anal, and pelvic fins mainly yellow; small juveniles golden with about 12 dark bars on side; tail has white tips; pelvics black.

Size: attains 230 cm and 39.6 kg.

Habitat: pelagic in coastal and oceanic waters.

Depth: 0 -255 m.

Circumtropical; New Foundland to Brazil.