Species: Cypselurus comatus, Clearwing Flyingfish

Cypselurus comatus (Mitchill, 1815)

Clearwing Flyingfish

Body elongate, nearly rectangular in cross section; slightly concave between eyes; mouth small, short, blunt, lower jaw a little shorter than and enclosed by upper jaw when mouth is closed; at least some jaw teeth with 3 points; teeth present on sides of roof of mouth; 19-24 gill rakers; fins without spines; dorsal fin low, 11-14 rays; anal fin 8-9 rays, originates under 4th-6th dorsal fin ray; pectoral reaches past anal base, with 1st ray unbranched; pelvic fins long, origin midway between operculum and tail fin base, reach beyond anal origin; tail deeply forked with a longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed; lateral line low on the body, no branch of lateral line to origin of pectoral. Juveniles with 1 long broadly flattened chin barbel.

Dark above, paler below; dorsal and tail fins grey; pectorals uniformly light grey; anal fin transparent; pelvics grey on base, transparent elsewhere, rarely with a black spot. Juvenile: body blackish, pelvics heavily pigmented, base of barbel light, its side folds blackish.

Size: 30 cm.

Habitat: pelagic, inshore and offshore.

Depth: surface 0-20 m?

New York to central Brazil.