Margined Flyingfish Identification Guide
Recognize the Margined Flyingfish by the dark border along its long, wing-like pectoral fins.
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Key identification features
- Slender, streamlined body, deep blue on the back fading to silvery sides and a white belly
- Very long, broad pectoral fins that reach at least to the dorsal fin origin, edged with a dark, dusky margin
- Pointed rather than blunt snout, giving a sleeker head profile than some relatives
- Elongated pelvic fins that assist in extended gliding flights over the water
- Deeply forked tail with a longer lower lobe used to launch the fish from the surface
- Grows to roughly 10-13 inches
Common look-alikes
- Bluntnose Flyingfish: pectoral fins lack the dark margin and the snout is short and rounded rather than pointed
- Atlantic Flyingfish: pectoral fins are more uniformly translucent or lightly spotted rather than dark-edged
- Sailfin flyingfishes: show a much taller, sail-like dorsal fin, which the Margined Flyingfish does not have
Where you'll see one
This species glides over warm offshore surface waters of the tropical Atlantic, often flushed up ahead of boats or pursuing predators, and is rarely seen close to shore.
Frequently asked questions
How do I quickly recognize a Margined Flyingfish while it's gliding?
Watch for a dark border running along the edge of the long pectoral fins as the fish spreads them in flight; this dusky margin is the species' most distinctive field mark.
What separates a Margined Flyingfish from other similarly sized flyingfish?
Compare snout shape and pectoral fin coloration together: a pointed snout paired with dark-edged pectoral fins points to the Margined Flyingfish rather than blunt-nosed or plain-finned relatives.