Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Elagatis bipinnulata, Rainbow Runner

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

elongate
snout pointed, mouth small
D & A: 1 finlet behind
side: yellow stripe + blue edges
LL: no scutes

Next

Previous

Elagatis bipinnulata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Rainbow Runner

Body elongate, fusiform; snout pointed; mouth small, opens at front, ends well before eye; dorsal rays VI+I, 25-28 + 2; anal rays I+I, 18-20 + 2; base of 2nd dorsal fin much longer than base of anal fin; a single 2-rayed finlet behind dorsal and anal fins; pectoral fin shorter than head; tail base slender; tail strongly forked; tail base notched above and below; lateral line with slight arch anteriorly; no scutes (hard, spiny scales) on lateral line; body scales oval; breast scaled.

Dark olive green to blue above, white below; two narrow light blue or bluish-white stripes along sides, with a broader olive or yellowish stripe between them; fins with an olive or yellow tint.

Size: grows to 180 cm, but common to 80 cm; IGFA record 17.1 kg.

Habitat: a pelagic species, usually found near the surface around islands sometimes far offshore.

Depth: 0-150 m.

Circumtropical; Massachusetts to NE Brazil.


High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • In & Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Offshore
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Near Surface
  • Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
  • Flotsam
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
  • Bony fishes
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
  • Pelagic crustacea
  • Pelagic fish eggs
  • Pelagic fish larvae
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • Transisthmian (East Pacific + Atlantic of Central America)
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 180
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 150