Shortwing Flyingfish, Bigwing Halfbeak
Volador Alita
(Oxyhamphus micropterus)

Shortwing Flyingfish, Oxyhamphus micropterus: The Shortwing Flyingfish is fairly easy to identify and is not easily confused with other fish species. It is dark blue to black on the back and upper sides, silver below, with dark dusky fins. The juveniles have projecting lower jaws; the adults have slightly projecting lower jaws; the upper jaw margin in both is straight.

The pectoral fins of the Shortwing Flyingfish are very short for a flyingfish, being approximately one-third of the body length and do not reach the level of the pelvic fins. The pelvic fins are short.

The Shortwing Flyingfish is found in the first 20 feet of the water column, normally far out at sea. It reaches 9 inches in length.

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

In Mexican fishing waters the Shortwing Flyingfish is found from Magdalena Bay south along the coast of Baja California, in the lower two-thirds of the Sea of Cortez, and along the coast of the Mexican mainland south to Guatemala.

The Shortwing Flyingfish is a member of the Exocoetidae Family, known in Mexico as voladores.

Flyingfish are a global, pelagic species, normally found some distance out at sea. They have exceedingly long and wide pectoral fins which they use like wings, holding them rigid in place, allowing flights up to 300 meters, without a flapping motion. When swimming, these fins are held tight against the body. The fins have no spines. The lateral line is low on the body. The pelvic fin origin is closer to the anal fin origin than to the pectoral fin base. The anal fin origin is directly under the third dorsal ray.

Flyingfish have deeply forked tails with the lower lobe larger than the upper. They feed on planktonic organisms. They generate large, sticky eggs that attach themselves to floating debris. Globally, there are 65 species of flyingfish from nine genera. There are two global members of the Oxyhamphus Genus, of which only one is found in Mexican waters.

Shortwing Flyingfish picture 1

Shortwing Flyingfish picture 2

Shortwing Flyingfish picture 3

Shortwing Flyingfish, Oxyhamphus micropterus: Provided in a regurgitated form by a 36-inch dorado in August 2008 and missing a few pectoral fin rays but otherwise in excellent condition. Size 7.5 inches. We are not aware of the existence of any other photos of this species. Description and photos courtesy of John Snow.

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