Family: CORYPHAENIDAE, Dolphinfish, Dolphinfishes

FAMILY CORYPHAENIDAE

DOLPHINFISHES

Dolphinfishes are oceanic fishes of moderate to large size (75 cm to 2 m), with a very elongate compressed body; adult males with a bony crest on the forehead, and a near-vertical front snout profile; mouth large; numerous small teeth in bands on jaws; a long-based dorsal fin extending from the nape almost to the tail fin; a long-based anal fin extending nearly to the tail fin; a large, deeply forked tail fin; no isolated finlets behind the dorsal or anal fins; pectorals and pelvics short, the latter fitting into grooves on the belly; small smooth scales; no hard spiny scales (scutes) on lateral line; lateral line with a sharp curve over pectorals.

The family contains only two species, both of which have a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical seas.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER COLLETTE (2002)