Species: Hirundichthys speculiger, Mirrorwing Flyingfish

Hirundichthys speculiger (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1847)

Mirrorwing Flyingfish

Elongate, broadly cylindrical body; head 22.7-25.6% SL, snout short and blunt; mouth small, short, blunt, jaws about equal in length; jaw teeth conspicuous, conical; sides of roof of mouth with teeth; fins without spines; dorsal 10-13 rays, usually with fewer or equal number of rays than anal fin; anal 11-13 rays, anal origin slightly before of 1-2 rays behind dorsal fin origin; pectoral reaching past anal base, 63-74% SL, only 1st ray unbranched, 17-20 branched rays; pelvic origin nearer rear edge of operculum than to origin of tail fin, fin long, reaching past anal origin; tail deeply forked with a much longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed, 30-34 scales before dorsal fin; lateral line low on the body, no branch of lateral line to origin of pectoral. Juveniles without barbels under chin.

Body iridescent dark blue above, silvery below; pectoral dark, broad clear margin, broad transverse clear bar from base to middle of fin; dorsal and anal grey; pelvics light. Juvenile: pectoral and pelvics mottled with dark spots and bars.

Size: 31 cm.

Habitat: oceanic pelagic.

Depth: surface, 0-20 m.

Circumtropical; 40N to 40S.