Species: Cheilopogon heterurus, Blotchwing flyingfish, Mediterranean flyingfish

Cheilopogon heterurus (Rafinesque, 1810)

Mediterranean flyingfish, Blotchwing flyingfish

Body elongate, rectangular in cross section; mouth small, short, blunt, lower jaw slightly longer than top jaw; head length usually >22% SL; jaw teeth minute, not noticeable to touch, conical; sides of roof of mouth without teeth; fins without spines; dorsal fin low (height <10% SL), 12-15 rays; 8-10 anal rays, origin of fin under 5th-7th 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; 29-38 (usually 30-35) scales along nape in front of dorsal fin; lateral line low on the body, no branch of lateral line to origin of pectoral. Juveniles with a pair of short barbels under chin consisting of a stalk with a skin fold along the outside.

Dark above, pale below; dorsal and tail fins grey; anal fin transparent; pectorals light to dark grayish, with indistinct pale triangular cross bar and narrow clear rear margin; pelvics greyish. Juvenile: body with 3 dark bars on front of body; dorsal and anal fins with dark marks; pectorals and pelvics with dark blotches and curved bars.

Size: 45 cm.

Habitat: surface pelagic, offshore.

Depth: 0-5 m.

Mainly in the E Atlantic and Mediterranean; Bermuda.