Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Coryphaenidae

Coryphaenidae

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CAAB: 37338000

Family CORYPHAENIDAE

Dolphinfishes


Compiler and date details

5 January 2012 - Dianne J. Bray & Douglass F. Hoese

December 2006 - Dianne J. Bray & Douglass F. Hoese

Introduction

The Coryphaenidae comprise a single genus and two worldwide species. The family was reviewed by Gibbs & Collette (1959) and species are treated in Collette (1999). Two recent studies by O'Tool (2002) and Gray et al. (2009) have shown that the family along with the Rachycentridae and Echeneidae form a monophyletic group, the superfamily Echeneoidea.

Dolphinfishes occur in tropical and subtropical offshore and oceanic environments. They are pelagic, often schooling near the surface in association with floating objects. Coryphaenids are distinctive in having a strongly compressed body and a very long-based dorsal fin beginning on the head. One species reaches a length of 1.5 m. They are important commercial and recreational fishes. The international game fishing record is 39.91 kg for a fish caught in the Bahamas. Palko et al. (1982) and Pepperell (2010) discussed the biology of the species.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
09-Nov-2012 09-Nov-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)