Species: Hirundichthys rondeletii, Blackwing flyingfish
Hirundichthys rondeletii (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1847)
Blackwing flyingfish
Elongate, broadly cylindrical body; head 20-22% SL; snout short and blunt; mouth small, short, blunt, jaws about equal in length; jaw teeth conspicuous, conical; sides of roof of mouth with teeth; fins without spines; dorsal fin very low, 10-12 rays; anal 11-13 rays; anal origin just before to just behind dorsal origin; 1st 2 pectoral rays unbranched, fin reaches past anal base, 74-80% SL; pelvic origin nearer anal origin than pectoral base, fin long, reaching past anal origin; tail deeply forked with a much longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed; 27-32 scales before dorsal fin; lateral line low on the body, no branch to origin of pectoral. Juveniles without barbels under chin.
Body dark iridescent blue above, silvery below; pectoral black, with narrow clear rear margin; dorsal and tail fins dusky, other fins clear; in juveniles the dorsal fin is clear with a dark outer blotch and the paired fins are black.
Size: 32 cm.
Habitat: oceanic pelagic.
Depth: surface, 0-20 m.
Circumsubtropical; N Atlantic to the Caribbean.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Offshore Only
- Offshore
- Water Column Position
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- Water column only
- Surface
- Near Surface
- Habitat
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- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- Planktivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Pelagic fish larvae
- Data
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
- Regional Endemism
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- GC non-endemic
- Extends North of GC
- All species
- Continent + Island (s)
- Continent
- Island (s)
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Temperate (>35N)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 32
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 20
