English Name: Common dolphinfish
Family: CORYPHAENIDAE
Local Name: Fiyala
Order: Perciformes
Size: Common to 1 m; max. 2 m
Specimen: MRS/0051/86
Distinctive Characters: Single dorsal fin usually with 5 8-67 rays. Anal fin with 25-30 rays. Pectoral with 17-20 rays. Body depth less than 25% of standard length. Body elongate and compressed. Anal fin with concave outline. Pectoral fin more than half of head length.
Colour: Back brilliant metallic blue-green, shading to golden yellow ventrally with scattered iridescent blue-green spots. Dorsal fin deep blue-green. Caudal, anal and pelvic fins mainly yellow. Brilliant colours fade to silvery grey with black spots and dark fins soon after death.
Habitat and Biology: Pelagic, inhabits open waters but also approaches the coasts. Follows ships and forms aggregations below floating objects. Feeds mainly on fish, but also crustaceans and squids.
Distribution: Circumtropical.
Remarks: Coryphaena hipparus is much more common and larger than the closely related C. equiselis. The common dolphinfish is a renowned game fish caught mainly by trolling a lure near
the surface.