Species: Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus californicus, California flyingfish, Smallhead flyingfish

Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus californicus (Cooper, 1863)

Smallhead flyingfish, California flyingfish

Body relatively slender (depth < 16% of SL); head relatively short (< 22% of SL); snout short (~ eye diameter);; mouth small, jaws ~ equal length, or lower a little longer, top one not protrusible; jaw teeth with 1 point, sometimes with smaller secondary points; sides of roof of mouth with teeth; fins without spines; 9-13 dorsal rays; 9-12 anal rays; pectoral reaches tail fin base, its 1st  ray unbranched; pelvic origin nearer operculum than base of tail fin, fin long, reaches nearly to end of anal base; anal origin under 3rd  dorsal ray; tail deeply forked with a longer lower lobe; lateral line low on the body, no branch to origin of pectoral; scales large, smooth, easily shed; ~50 scales in front of dorsal fin; juveniles chin with complex fan-like barbel with 14 flaps.