Coryphaena hippurus, which is much more common and larger than its closely related species C. equiselis, is a renowned game fish that is mainly caught by trolling a lure near the surface.
Details
§ 01
size
Common to 1 m; max. 2 m
color
Back brilliant metallic blue-green, shading to golden yellow ventrally with scattered iridescent blue- green spots. Dorsal fin deep blue-green. Caudal, anal and pelvic fins mainly yellow. Brilliant colours fade to silvery grey with black spots and dark fins soon after death.
Pelagic creatures inhabit open waters, but they also come close to the shoreline. They follow ships and congregate beneath floating objects. Their diet consists mainly of fish, but they also consume crustaceans and squids.
distinctive characters
This species typically has a single dorsal fin with 58-67 rays, an anal fin with 25-30 rays, and a pectoral fin with 17-20 rays. Its body is elongated and compressed, with a depth of less than 25% of its standard length, and the anal fin has a concave outline. The pectoral fin is more than half the length of the head.