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Bandwing flyingfish (Cheilopogon exsiliens) — Exocoetidae

Bandwing flyingfish

Cheilopogon exsiliens
Family: Exocoetidae

The Bandwing flyingfish (Cheilopogon exsiliens) is a saltwater fish of the family Exocoetidae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–? m
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The Bandwing flyingfish is a flyingfish (Exocoetidae) from the tropical Atlantic Ocean. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a streamlined, silver-blue body with strongly enlarged, wing-like pectoral fins. When threatened it shoots out of the water and glides over the surface to escape predators. As a schooling open-water fish it eats zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bandwing flyingfish?

The Bandwing flyingfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly blue.

Where does the Bandwing flyingfish live?

The Bandwing flyingfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Bandwing flyingfish get?

The Bandwing flyingfish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm. On average the species is around 18 cm.

Is the Bandwing flyingfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bandwing flyingfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Bandwing flyingfish edible?

The Bandwing flyingfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bandvleugel-vliegende vis sourced
English name
Bandwing flyingfish sourced
Scientific name
Cheilopogon exsiliens
Family
Exocoetidae
Other names
Bandwing flyingfish; Flying fish; Flyingfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Average length (cm)
18.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Te vangen met natuurlijk aas of kunstaas, afgestemd op de grootte en het leefgebied van de soort. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Cheilopogon

More from the family Exocoetidae

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