Animalia Life

Coryphaena equiselis
FAMILY
Coryphaenidae
TAXONOMY
Coryphaena equiselis Linnaeus, 1758, type locality not specified.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Pompano dolphin; Japanese: Ebisu-shiira.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Body is fusiform and elongate, with a vertical head profile and a bony crest in adults, especially males; it is much less pronounced than in the common dolphinfish. The single dorsal fin has 52–59 soft rays and extends from just behind the gills down to the caudal peduncle. The anal fin is long, with 24–28 soft rays, and extends from the anus to the caudal peduncle. The caudal fin is forked. Body color is metallic blue and green on the back and silver with gold spots and a golden sheen on the flank, with a dark dorsal fin. Upon death, the dorsal color fades to gray. The caudal fin margin of juveniles is white. Grows to 50 in (127 cm) in length but lives only 4 years.
DISTRIBUTION
Tropical and some subtropical seas worldwide.
HABITAT
Pelagic but ventures inshore to forage off reefs or emergent rocks.
BEHAVIOR
A schooling species that swims in pelagic surface waters but also ventures inshore. Follows boats or hovers under floating structures, such as tree trunks or palm leaves. Attracted to fish aggregation devices.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Preys on smaller fishes and squids in addition to miscellaneous pelagic prey, which it hunts in schools or groups.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Reproduction is not well known, but apparently it courts and spawns in groups or aggregations and produces pelagic eggs and larvae.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN, but may be vulnerable to overfishing. Recognized under Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea because of its migratory habits.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
A minor commercial species sought after by consumers for its excellent food quality. It is highly prized in sport fisheries, especially off South America. Also taken in subsistence fisheries.

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