Pompano dolphinfish
Encyclopedia
The pompano dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis) is a species of surface-dwelling ray-finned fish
found in tropical and subtropical waters. They are one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the mahi-mahi
or common dolphinfish.
Pompano dolphinfish have a lifespan of three to four years. They are often mistaken for juvenile mahi-mahi; they are somewhat smaller than their mahi-mahi cousins, never exceeding 127 cm in length. Pompano dolphinfish have compressed heads and long dorsal fins extending the entire length of their bodies. Their backs are a brilliant blue-green, and their sides are a silvery-golden color. Mature males develop a protruding forehead, but not to the same extent as male mahi-mahi. When they are removed from the water, the fish fade to a muted green-grey upon death.
Pompano dolphinfish are carnivorous, feeding on small fish and squid
.
Pompano dolphinfish are popular as a game fish in the waters off South America
, and are sometimes eaten as a substitute for swordfish
because of their firm texture and sweet flavor.
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
found in tropical and subtropical waters. They are one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the mahi-mahi
Mahi-mahi
The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. It is one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the pompano dolphinfish...
or common dolphinfish.
Pompano dolphinfish have a lifespan of three to four years. They are often mistaken for juvenile mahi-mahi; they are somewhat smaller than their mahi-mahi cousins, never exceeding 127 cm in length. Pompano dolphinfish have compressed heads and long dorsal fins extending the entire length of their bodies. Their backs are a brilliant blue-green, and their sides are a silvery-golden color. Mature males develop a protruding forehead, but not to the same extent as male mahi-mahi. When they are removed from the water, the fish fade to a muted green-grey upon death.
Pompano dolphinfish are carnivorous, feeding on small fish and squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
.
Pompano dolphinfish are popular as a game fish in the waters off South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and are sometimes eaten as a substitute for swordfish
Swordfish
Swordfish , also known as broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood...
because of their firm texture and sweet flavor.