Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Exocoetus obtusirostris, Oceanic Two-wing Flyingfish

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

pectoral grey + broad pale margin
gill rakers 22-29
juvenile: hump-backed, no barbels
7.5 (7-8) scale rows LL to D origin

Exocoetus obtusirostris Günther, 1866

Oceanic Two-wing Flyingfish

Elongate, broadly cylindrical body; head short, snout short and blunt; snout shorter than eye diameter; mouth small, short, blunt, lower jaw a little longer than upper jaw; no teeth; 22-29 gill rakers; fins without spines; dorsal rays 12-14; anal rays 12-14; pectoral 71-77% of standard length, reaches past anal base, its 1st (and sometimes 2nd) ray unbranched; pelvic fin with origin nearer pectoral base than anal origin, fin short, not reaching anal origin; anal origin under or behind 3rd dorsal ray; tail deeply forked with a longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed; 7.5 (7-8) scale rows between dorsal fin and lateral line; 18-21 scales before dorsal fin; lateral line low on the body, no branch of lateral line to origin of pectoral. Juveniles with nape hump, without chin barbell.

Dark above, pale below; dorsal and tail fins greyish; anal and pelvics transparent; pectorals grey with broad pale margin mainly pale or slightly dusky. Juvenile body grey; dorsal and anal fins black at rear; pectoral transparent; pelvics black.

Maximum size: 25 cm.

Habitat: pelagic in offshore surface waters.

Depth: 0-20 m.

Tropical Atlantic; 40N to ~40S.


High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Offshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Near Surface
  • Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • Transatlantic (East+West Atlantic)
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
  • 25
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 20