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Mirrorwing flyingfish (Cheilopogon katoptron) — Exocoetidae

Mirrorwing flyingfish

Cheilopogon katoptron
Family: Exocoetidae

The Mirrorwing flyingfish (Cheilopogon katoptron) is a saltwater fish of the family Exocoetidae that grows up to 18 cm.

Length
18 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–20.0 m
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Mirrorwing flyingfish is a flyingfish (Exocoetidae) from the sunlit surface water of the open sea around Australia and the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 25 cm and has a streamlined, silver-blue body with greatly enlarged, wing-like pectoral fins with which, after a sprint, it glides through the air over tens of metres to evade predators. As a social fish it snaps at plankton and small crustaceans in the surface layer. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Mirrorwing flyingfish?

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

Where does the Mirrorwing flyingfish live?

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

How big does the Mirrorwing flyingfish get?

The Mirrorwing flyingfish grows to a maximum of about 18 cm.

Is the Mirrorwing flyingfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Mirrorwing flyingfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Mirrorwing flyingfish edible?

Yes, the Mirrorwing flyingfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Spiegel-vliegende vis sourced
English name
Mirrorwing flyingfish sourced
Scientific name
Cheilopogon katoptron
Family
Exocoetidae
Other names
Indonesian flyingfish sourced

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max 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
Max depth (m)
20.0 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
Commonly 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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