Cheilopogon heterurus
(Rafinesque, 1810)
Mediterranean flyingfish

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Classification / Names

Teleostei (teleosts) > Beloniformes (Needle fishes) > Exocoetidae (Flyingfishes)
Etymology: Cheilopogon: Greek, cheilos = lip + Greek, pogon = barbed, beard (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Rafinesque.

Environment / milieu / depth range / climate zone / distribution range

Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 50 m; subtropical; 59°N - 30°N65°W - 16°E.

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: southern Norway and Denmark (rare) to Gibraltar and western Mediterranean. Western Atlantic: around Bermuda (Ref. 26938). Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia (Ref. 49596) and Victoria, Australia (Ref. 33839). Also throughout subtropical waters of the Pacific Ocean (Ref. 33839).

Maps

Cheilopogon heterurus / Native range
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

Cheilopogon heterurus / Suitable habitat
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

Cheilopogon heterurus / Point map
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

Cheilopogon heterurus / Year 2050
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

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Size / Weight / Age

Max length: 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed (Ref. 5377); common length: 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed (Ref. 6077).

Biology

Pelagic, coastal species which can fly over long distances. It is thought that this behavior is a means to escape danger. This flying fish is not commercially exploited although it is very good to eat (Ref. 5377). Spawns during summer in Italian waters. Eggs with filaments over the entire surface (Ref. 6523).

Main reference

Bauchot, M.-L. 1987 Poissons osseux. p. 891-1421. In W. Fischer, M.L. Bauchot and M. Schneider (eds.) Fiches FAO d'identification pour les besoins de la pêche. (rev. 1). Méditerranée et mer Noire. Zone de pêche 37. Vol. II. Commission des Communautés Européennes and FAO, Rome. (Ref. 3397)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 125652)

  Least Concern (LC); date assessed: January 28 2013

CITES (Ref. 131153)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless

More information
Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 11.8 - 21, mean 17.5 °C (based on 140 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 0.5 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00631 (0.00288 - 0.01384), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.4 ±0.5 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium; Very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family.

Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 208 [75, 435] mg/100g; Iron = 1.75 [0.86, 3.98] mg/100g; Protein = 17.7 [15.6, 19.6] %; Omega3 = 0.344 [0.159, 0.953] g/100g; Selenium = 25.9 [11.7, 54.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 15.3 [4.6, 59.1] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.83 [0.57, 1.25] mg/100g (wet weight);