Untitled - Alaska Resources Library

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Baja California (Collette in Fischer et al. 1995) to northern Peru (Chirichigno and Vélez 1998) and Islas
Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Typically at surface, also near bottom, to depth of 12 m (39 ft;
Godinez-Dominguez et al. 2000).
Platybelone argalus (Lesueur, 1821). Keeltail Needlefish. To 50 cm (19.7 in) SL (Collette and Parin in
Whitehead et al. 1986). Circumglobal in tropical and subtropical waters (Collette 2003); Japan (Aizawa
in Nakabo 2002); southern Baja California (Collette in Fischer et al. 1995) to Chile (Pequeño 1989),
including lower Gulf of California (Collette in Fischer et al. 1995) and Islas Galápagos (Grove and
Lavenberg 1997). Surface to depth of 5 m (17 ft; Robertson and Allen 2002).
Strongylura exilis (Girard, 1854). California Needlefish or Pike Needlefish. To 91.4 cm (3 ft) TL (Miller
and Lea 1972). Eastern Pacific (Collette 2003); San Francisco, northern California (Eschmeyer and
Herald 1983) to Peru (Collette 2003) or Chile (Pequeño 1989), including Islas Galápagos (Eschmeyer
and Herald 1983) and Gulf of California (Collette in Fischer et al. 1995). Typically at or near surface
(Eschmeyer and Herald 1983); intertidal area and to depth of 100 m (328 ft) (min.: Allen 1999; max.:
Amezcua Linares 1996).
Tylosurus crocodilus (Péron & Lesueur, 1821). Crocodile Needlefish, Houndfish, Hound Needlefish, or
Mexican Needlefish. To 146 cm (57.5 in) TL (Robertson and Allen 2002). Circumglobal in tropical and
subtropical waters (Collette 2003); Japan (Aizawa in Nakabo 2002); about Isla Cedros, central Baja
California (Grove and Lavenberg 1997) to Gulf of California (Collette in Fischer et al. 1995) and to
northern Chile (Grove and Lavenberg 1997) and Islas Galápagos (Collette in Fischer et al. 1995).
Tylosurus pacificus (Steindachner, 1876). Pacific Agujon. To 130 cm (51.8 in) TL (Robertson and Allen
2002). Eastern Pacific (Collette 2003); Bahia Almejas, southern Baja California and Gulf of California
to Cabo Blanco, Peru, including one record from Islas Galápagos (Collette and Banford 2001). Surface
to depth of perhaps 10 m (33 ft; Robertson and Allen 2002). Previously known in the eastern North
Pacific as Tylosurus acus or T. acus imperialis; Collette and Banford (2001) confirmed full species rank
as T. pacificus.
Family Scomberesocidae — Sauries
Cololabis saira (Brevoort, 1856). Pacific Saury. To about 44 cm (17.3 in) TL (Mecklenburg et al. 2002).
North Pacific (Collette 2004); Yellow Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, and Pacific Ocean off Japan and
Kuril Islands (Hubbs and Wisner 1980, Yoshino in Masuda et al. 1984) to Olyutorskiy Bay in the western
Bering Sea (Hubbs and Wisner 1980); southeastern Bering Sea (Brodeur 1988), Pacific Ocean south of
Aleutian Islands, and offshore Gulf of Alaska (Mecklenburg et al. 2002) to Islas Revillagigedo, Mexico
(Eschmeyer and Herald 1983). Oceanic and neritic epipelagic (Parin 1960), surface to 229 m (751 ft;
Hart 1973), typically far offshore close to the surface at depths less than 2 m (7 ft; Collette 2004); also in
surf zone (Suda et al. 2002), and schools sometimes wash ashore (Chapman 1943).
Family Exocoetidae — Flyingfishes
Cheilopogon heterurus (Rafinesque, 1810). Blotchwing Flyingfish or Mediterranean Flyingfish. To 34.8 cm
(13.7 in) SL (Parin and Beljanina 2000). Circumglobal in tropical waters; Santa Catalina Island, southern
California to central Baja California (Watson in Moser 1996) and Chile (Pequeño 1989). At surface,
mainly oceanic (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983), also neritic (Watson in Moser 1996). Cypselurus hubbsi
is a junior synonym.
*Cheilopogon papilio (Clark, 1936). Butterfly Flyingfish. To 21 cm (8.3 in) TL (Parin in Fischer et al. 1995).
Gulf of California to central America, including southern tip of Baja California (Parin in Fischer et al.
1995). Surface to depth of perhaps 20 m (66 ft; Robertson and Allen 2002).