Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758

Common dolphinfish

Species recognized by FishBase external link, R Froese & D Pauly (eds) in 
IUCN Red List Status: NOT EVALUATED external link Showing: scientific names

Media Center Navigation

Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758

Images

Items in yellow are not reviewed.

Choose images

Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphaena hippurus
Coryphaena hippurus
Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphaena hippurus

Page navigation

Page 1 Next
Classification : Text | Graphic |
  

Table of Contents

General Description

Description

Source and Additional Information
Supplier
Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific Online Information System external link
Copyright
© Copyright 2008 to 2009 - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Some rights reserved external link
Author
Linnaeus, C.
Location
Source URL
View original data object external link
Citation

Common names: dolphinfish (English), dorado (Espanol)
 
Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758


Common dolphinfish



Elongate compressed body; maximum height < ¼ of SL; adult  males with a bony crest on the forehead, and a near-vertical front snout profile; mouth large; numerous small teeth in bands on jaws;  patch of teeth on tongue is small and oval; a long-based dorsal fin 55-65 rays extending from the nape almost to the tail fin; a long-based anal fin with concave anterior outer edge, extending nearly to the tail fin; a large, deeply forked tail fin; no isolated finlets behind the dorsal or anal fins; pectoral fins > ½ head length; pelvics short, fitting into groove on the belly; small smooth scales; no hard spiny scales (scutes) on lateral line; lateral line with a sharp curve over pectorals.

Back brilliant metallic blue green, shading to golden yellow ventrally, with scattered iridescent blue-green spots; dorsal fin deep blue green; tail, anal, and pelvic fins mainly yellow; small juveniles golden with about 12 dark bars on side. Brilliant colours fade to silvery grey with black spots and dark fins soon after death.

Size: attains 210 cm and 39.6 Kg.

Habitat: pelagic in coastal and oceanic waters.

Depth: 0-85 m.

Circumtropical; throughout the tropical eastern Pacific.

Biology

Source and Additional Information
Supplier
FishBase external link
Copyright
Some rights reserved external link
Recorder
Susan M. Luna
Location
Source URL
View original data object external link
Citation

Found in open waters but also near the coast (Ref. 9293, 11230). Forms schools. Feeds 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). Spawns 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).
References
"Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/356300". Accessed 14 Mar 2010.