Scientific Name
Prognichthys brevipinnis  
Pronounce  
Prognichthys brevipinnis短鰭原飛魚
by: Lab of Fish Ecol. and Evo., BRCAS
Author (Valenciennes, 1847) Depth 0 - 20M
Chinese 短鰭原飛魚 Poisonous Fish No 
Family_Chinese 飛魚科 Economic Fish Yes 
Family F253 Exocoetidae Edible Fish Yes  Chinese In Mainland China 短鰭真燕鰩(短鰭燕飛魚) 
Max Length 19 cm  Aquarium Fish No  Common Name 飛烏 
Distribution in World India Ocean to Pacific Ocean   Distribution in Taiwan East、LanI Is. 
Habitats Ocean、Coastal  Holotype Locality Hâvre Carteret de la Nouvelle-Irlande [Carteret Harbour, Lambom Island, near Cape Saint-George, southern New Ireland, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific, ca. 4°48'S, 152°51'E] 
Synonyms Cypselurus brevipinnis, Cypselurus zaca, Exocoetus brevipinnis, Exocoetus chloropterus   
Reference The Live Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific, Vol.4(FAO,1999);Fishes of Japan(Nakabo, 2002)  沈世傑 編 Shih-Chieh Shen ed. 1993 Carpenter, K. E. etc. 1999 Nakabo T. 2002 
Specimen List ASIZP0065036. FRIP00899. FRIP00900. NTUM03555.  
Common Name Shortfin flyingfish; Shortfinned flyingfish 
Redlist Status NL Not in IUCN Redlist     
Characteristic Body elongate, broadly cylindrical. Head short. Snout blunt. Mouth small; juveniles without barbels. Gill rakers well developed. Dorsal fin with 10-11 soft rays; Origin of anal fin behind 3rd soft ray of dorsal fin, and with 8-10 soft rays; pectoral fins high on sides, strikingly long, always extending beyond posterior end of anal fin, anterior 3 soft rays unbranched; pelvic fin long, extending beyond of anal fin when depressed; caudal fin deeply forked, its lower lobe longer than the upper. Scales large, cycloid, easily shed; predorsal scales 25-29; lateral line without branch at throrax, with 46-51 scales. Body deep blue above, pale below; dorsal fin without distinct black region; pectoral fin dark except the lower part and the tip; and caudal fins transparent.
habitats Usually found in neritic surface waters, rare in the open ocean. Capable of leaping out of the water and gliding above the surface. 
Distribution Widespread in the Indian and Pacific oceans from East Africa to Okinawa, and Fiji. It is rare and only found in southeastern Taiwanese waters. 
Utility No importance to fisheries. Sometimes marketed fresh or dried.