Genus: Hirundichthys, Flyingfish, Flyingfishes

HIRUNDICHTHYS

FLYINGFISHES

Elongate, broadly cylindrical bodies; head short, snout short and blunt; mouth small, short, blunt, jaws about equal in length; jaw teeth conspicuous, conical;  fins without spines; anal origin usually before or under dorsal origin, rarely up to 2 dorsal rays behind it; pectoral fin with 1st (and sometimes 2nd ray unbranched, fin reaches past anal base; dorsal fin usually with fewer or equal number of rays to anal; pelvic origin nearer anal origin than pectoral base, fin long, reaching 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 without barbels under chin.

This circumtropical genus contains 7 species; 3 species occur in our region, two circumtropical, and one trans-Atlantic.