Cheilopogon exsiliens
Bandwing Flyingfish
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Beloniformes
Exocoetidae (Flyingfishes)
Cheilopogon
Cheilopogon exsiliens (Bandwing Flyingfish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
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Characters
Robust body; moderately blunt snout; high, bicolored dorsal fin; banded pectoral fins; bicolored caudal fin; snout length 3.7% to 6.4%, head length 20.5% to 27.3%, eye diameter 4% to 9.9%, interorbital width 6.4% to 10.6%, body depth 16.6% to 20.2%, snout to dorsal fin origin 64.4% to 70.9%, snout to anal fin origin 73.1% to 81.4%, snout to pelvic fin origin 53.6% to 59.2%, pectoral fin length 52.8% to 75%, pelvic fin length 33.4% to 49.7% of SL; pectoral fin with 13 to 16 rays; dorsal fin with 13 to 15 rays; anal fin with 8 to 10 rays; scales above lateral line 5 to 8; predorsal scales 21 to 30; vertebrae 43 to 44
Dark dorsally and silvery ventrally; dorsal fin black at center; pectoral fin dark with pale triangular crossband; pelvic and anal fins unpigmented; upper lobe of caudal fin transparent, lower lobe black; juveniles with pair of short, flaplike barbels and transparent or white upper caudal lobe
Distribution
Cape Cod and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico
Uncommon in the western Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Oceanic, enters coastal areas in clear water; does not enter bays and estuaries
Biology
236 mm SL
Mainly found in the surface of oceanic waters, occasionally near the coast (Ref. 5217). Capable of leaping out of the water and gliding for long distances above the surface (Ref. 3720).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders; parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-01-29. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by combination of characters
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries.
References
Bruun 1935
Staiger 1965
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Boschung 1992
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Jenyns, L. (1842) Fish. In C. Darwin (ed.) The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, under the command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832-1836. Smith, Elder & Co., London (in 4 parts): p. 1-32 (Jan. 1840); 33-64 (Jun. 1840); 65-96 (Apr. 1841); 97-172 (Apr. 1842).
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez (1992) Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
Parin, N.V. (1996) On the species composition of flying fishes (Exocoetidae) in the West-Central part of tropical Pacific. J. Ichthyol. 36(5):357-364.
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