Species learning profile

Exocet atlantique

Cheilopogon melanurus

Atlantic flyingfish (Cheilopogon melanurus) is a saltwater fish associated with open ocean habitat in Atlantic. Enlarged fins let it glide above the waves to escape predators.

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Illustration originale de la collection Fishdle de Exocet atlantique
Source de l’illustration: Fishdle · CC BY 4.0

At a glance

Eau
Eau salée
Habitat
Haute mer
Longueur maximale
32 cm
Répartition
Atlantique
Famille
Exocoetidae
Ordre
Beloniformes

Observe

How to identify Exocet atlantique

  • Silvery blue with dark-edged fins.
  • Slim with unusually huge wing-like pectoral fins.
  • Reported maximum length: 32 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with open ocean habitat across Atlantic. With little fixed shelter, currents, temperature fronts, depth, and moving prey define its open-ocean world.

Behavior

Uses open ocean habitat for feeding, shelter, migration, or reproduction.

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

A species-specific mix of plant material, plankton, invertebrates, or other fish.

Ecological role

It helps move energy across great distances in a food web with few physical boundaries..

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Exocet atlantique peut atteindre environ 32 cm et vit souvent près de Haute mer.

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Wide-ranging ocean fish can cross many jurisdictions, so bycatch, harvest limits, and international cooperation matter.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with Atlantic flyingfish in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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