Species: Cheilopogon exsiliens, Bandwing Flyingfish

Cheilopogon exsiliens (Linnaeus, 1771)

Bandwing Flyingfish

Body elongate, rectangular in cross section; mouth small, short, blunt; jaws equal; jaw teeth relatively large (noticeable to touch), conical; sides of roof of mouth with teeth; fins without spines; dorsal fin moderately high (>10% SL), 13-15 rays; 9-11 anal rays, origin of fin under 6th-9th dorsal ray; pectoral reaches past anal base, 1st ray unbranched; pelvic origin nearer operculum than base of tail fin, reaches just past anal base; tail deeply forked with a longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed; 24-29 scales on nape in front of dorsal fin; lateral line low on the body, no branch of lateral line to origin of pectoral. Juveniles with enlarged dorsal fin, a pair of flap-like barbels under chin, <40% SL.

Dark above, pale below; dorsal fin grey with large black central spot; anal fin transparent; pectorals blue-black, with pale diagonal bar across fin; anal clear; tail fin with black lower lobe and clear upper lobe; pelvics greyish. Juvenile: body with faint bars; dorsal and paired fins partly pigmented; tail clear; barbells grey, with darker edges.

Size: 30 cm.

Habitat: surface pelagic, offshore.

Depth: 0-5 m.

Tropical and temperate Atlantic; from 40°N to ~25°S in the W Atlantic.