Species: Parexocoetus hillianus, Atlantic Sailfin Flyingfish
Parexocoetus hillianus (Gosse, 1851)
Atlantic Sailfin Flyingfish
Elongate, broadly cylindrical body; head short, snout short and blunt; mouth small, short, blunt, upper jaw protrusible, small conical teeth; fins without spines; dorsal fin very high, 9-14 rays; anal 10-14 rays, origin before 2nd dorsal ray; pectoral fin moderate length, reaching to middle rays of dorsal fin, only 1st ray unbranched, 11-13 rays; pelvic fin short, barely reaching anal origin, inserted nearer operculum than tail fin base; tail deeply forked with a longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed; lateral line low on the body, with a branch to origin of pectoral. Juveniles with paired chin barbells (easily lost).
Dark, iridescent green-blue above, silvery white below; dorsal fin clear, with large black blotch at outer tip; all other fins transparent. Juvenile: dorsal, pelvics and anal fins with black pigment.
Size: 15.5 cm.
Habitat: inshore and offshore, pelagic.
Depth: surface, 0-20 m.
Atlantic; 40N to 10S.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- In & Offshore
- Inshore
- Offshore
- Water Column Position
-
- Near Surface
- Surface
- Water column only
- Habitat
-
- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
-
- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
-
- Data
- Planktivore
- Diet
-
- Data
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
-
- Benthic
- Data
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
-
- All species
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- Transatlantic (East+West Atlantic)
- Regional Endemism
-
- Also in Brazil
- Continent
- Continent + Island (s)
- 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
-
- 15.5
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 20
