Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Common dolphinfish
Coryphaena hippurus
photo by Winterbottom, R.

 Family:  Coryphaenidae (Dolphinfishes)
 Max. size:  210 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 40 kg; max. reported age: 4 years
 Environment:  pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 85 m, oceanodromous
 Distribution:  Atlantic, Indian and Pacific: in tropical and subtropical waters. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 58-66; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 25-31; Vertebrae: 31-31. Greatest body depth in adults less than 25% of standard length; tooth patch on tongue small and oval; single dorsal fin extending from above eye almost to caudal fin with 58-66 rays; a concave anal fin extending from anus almost to caudal fin; pectoral fin more than half of head length (Ref. 10948). Caudal vertebrae usually 18 (Ref. 10998). Mature males posses a prominent bony crest in front of the head. The color is striking with golden hues on the sides, metallic blues and greens on the back and sides, with white and yellow on the underparts. Small specimens have pronounced vertical bars on the sides of the body.
 Biology:  Adults are found in open waters but also near the coast (Ref. 9293, 11230). Form schools. Feed on almost all forms of fish and zooplankton; also takes crustaceans and squid (Ref. 2850). Sexual maturity is reached in 4-5 months (3 for captive fish) (Ref. 11441). Spawn in the open sea and probably approximate to the coast when water temperature rises (Ref. 9293). Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6755). Attracting devices such as floating bundles of bamboo reeds or cork planks are used to concentrate dolphin fish before the nets are set. Marketed frozen (Ref. 9987) and fresh and is of high value (Ref. 9293).
 IUCN Red List Status:   (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  reports of ciguatera poisoning
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Luna, Susan M. - 17.10.90
 Modified by: Luna, Susan M. - 05.09.13
 Checked by: Collette, Bruce B. - 05.10.95

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