Species: Parexocoetus brachypterus brachypterus, Sailfin flyingfish
D black blotch, long rays
Parexocoetus brachypterus brachypterus (Richardson, 1846)
Sailfin flyingfish
Elongate, broadly cylindrical body; head short, snout short and blunt; mouth small, upper jaw protrusible, jaw teeth small, conical; fins without spines; dorsal 12-14 rays, long fin rays; anal 12-14 rays; pectoral moderately long, not reaching past anal base, 1st 2 rays unbranched , 11-12 branched rays; pelvic fin short, barely reaching anal origin; anal origin before 2nd dorsal ray; tail deeply forked with a longer lower lobe; lateral line low on the body, with a branch to origin of pectoral; scales large, smooth, easily shed; 23-30 scale rows; juveniles with paired chin barbells (easily lost).
Dark, iridescent green-blue above, silvery white below; dorsal fin clear, with large black blotch at outer tip; pelvics grey; other fins clear except tail with red cast.
Size: 20 cm.
Habitat: coastal pelagic.
Depth: surface, 0-20 m.
An Indo-Pacific subspecies of a circumtropical species; Central Mexico to Ecuador.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Offshore
- In & Offshore
- Water Column Position
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- Water column only
- Surface
- Habitat
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- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- No Data
- Planktivore
- Diet
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- Zooplankton
- Pelagic fish eggs
- No Data
- Pelagic fish larvae
- Egg Type
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- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Pelagic
- Global Endemism
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- All Pacific (West + Central + East)
- Indo-Pacific only (Indian + Pacific Oceans)
- All species
- TEP non-endemic
- "Transpacific" (East + Central &/or West Pacific)
- Regional Endemism
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- All species
- Continent
- Eastern Pacific non-endemic
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic
- Continent + Island (s)
- Island (s)
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Not evaluated / Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 20
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 20
