Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

EspaƱol  Contact

Genus: Cypselurus, Clearwing Flyingfish, Flyingfishes


All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

pectoral reaches past D, 1st ray not branched
A origin under/behind 3rd D ray
lower jaw shorter than & enclosed by top jaw
roof mouth with teeth
pelvics: long, origin midway head & C base
juvenile: 1 chin barbel

CYPSELURUS

FLYINGFISHES

Elongate, broadly cylindrical bodies; head short, snout short and blunt; mouth small, short, blunt; lower jaw a little shorter than and enclosed by the upper jaw; at least some jaw teeth with 3 points; roof of mouth with teeth; fins without spines; anal origin under or behind 3rd dorsal ray; pectoral reaches past anal base, its 1st (and sometimes 2nd) ray unbranched; pelvics with origin ~midway between head and tail fin base, fin long, reaches past anal origin; tail deeply forked with a much longer lower lobe; scales large, smooth, easily shed; lateral line low on the body, no branch to origin of pectoral; juveniles with 0-1 barbel under chin.

A circumtropical genus with 12 species; 1 west Atlantic species in our region.