Exocoetus monocirrhus Richardson 1846

Body dark iridescent blue above, silvery white below; pectorals and caudal fin greyish or brownish, other fins unpigmented (Ref. 2797). Juveniles with black bars (Ref. 2797).

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 12 - 14

Found on the continental shelf (Ref. 75154).

Epipelagic in oceanic and neritic waters (Ref. 9839). May leap out of the water and glide for considerable distances above the surface.

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

廣泛分布於印度-泛太平洋區之熱帶水域。臺灣分布於北部、西南部、南部、東部、蘭嶼及澎湖水域等。

每年春夏季隨著黑潮洄游至臺灣東南沿海，是主要的漁期。可利用流刺網或定置網等漁法捕獲，或編織草蓆採收飛魚卵。成魚適合紅燒或煮湯，亦可曬乾食用；魚卵則利用於鹽漬，風味不錯。

體延長，略側扁。頭長為頭高之1.5倍或以下，體長為體高之4.5- 5.1倍。吻鈍短。口開於前端，下頜略等長於上頜；兩頜具弱齒；腭骨無齒。鼻孔兩對，大形，近於眼前。鰓裂寬，鰓膜在喉峽部游離；鰓耙數6-8 +18-21 = 23-27。鰾大，向後延長；腸簡單，無幽門及盲囊。體被圓鱗，大而薄，易脫落；頭部多少被鱗；側線甚低，近腹緣，在胸部不分枝，具鱗40-50；背前鱗18-22；側線上鱗7-8。背鰭無棘，位於體之後部，具軟條12-14，鰭膜上無黑色或灰色斑；臀鰭起點與背鰭起點約相對，具軟條12-14；胸鰭末端達背鰭後部基底之後方，呈藍黑色，其下方2-3鰭條淡色，沿胸鰭後緣亦有寬約瞳孔徑之淡色域；腹鰭短，末端不達臀鰭基底，其基底位於鰓蓋後緣至尾鰭下葉止之間距的中央前方，透明無色；尾鰭發達，深開叉，下葉較長。脊椎骨數41-43。幼魚之後頭部顯著高聳，且下頜有一鬚。

大洋洄游性魚種，生活於近海或淺海域之表水層，同時也分布於開放水域。受驚嚇時會利用其特化的胸鰭躍出水面作長距離的滑翔。主要以橈腳類及端腳類等浮游生物為食。所產的卵團具有黏絲，可附著於漂游物或底棲海藻上。

Exocoetus monocirrhus is a species of fish in the family Exocoetidae.

Epipelagic in oceanic and neritic waters (Ref. 9839). May leap out of the water and glide for considerable distances above the surface.