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Home > Fishes
> Pelagic Fishes
Updated 1/12/2026
Pelagic Fishes
Family Scombridae
Tunas &
Mackerels
| Streamlined, fast-swimming inhabitants of coastal and open
water. Tuna are warm-blooded with reddish, well-oxygenated
muscle and keep swimming to maintain sufficient flow over the
gills. A common characteristic of the family is counter-shading,
where the upper half is dark blue and the lower silvery white,
effectively hiding it from predators above and below. They feed
upon fish or squid and are in turn preyed upon by larger carnivores
including larger kin, sharks, dolphins, billfishes, and man. Many
scombrids are of great commercial importance although stocks have been
depleted in some areas. |
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
| Acanthocybium solandri
WAHOO
ONO
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Euthynnus affinis
LITTLE
TUNA KAWAKAWA
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Katsuwonus pelamis
SKIPJACK TUNA
AKU
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Thunnus alalunga
ALBACORE TOMBO
AHI
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| Thunnus albacares
YELLOWFIN TUNA
AHI
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Thunnus obesus
BIGEYE TUNA
AHI PO'ONUI
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| Sarda
orientalis
STRIPED or ORIENTAL BONITO
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Scomber
australasicus
SPOTTED MACKEREL
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INDO-PACIFIC
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Scomberomorus commerson
NARROW-BARRED SPANISH MACKEREL
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Rastrelliger kanagurta
INDIAN MACKEREL
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WESTERN ATLANTIC
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Scomberomorus regalis
CERO
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Family Gempylidae
Snake Mackerels
| Snake Mackerels inhabit mid-water depths of the open ocean, migrating
toward the surface at night to feed upon fishes & planktonic
invertebrates. Landed as bycatch on tuna longline
vessels. |
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Lepidocybium
flavobrunneum
SMITH'S ESCOLAR
WALU
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Gempylus serpens
SNAKE MACKEREL
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Family Istiophoridae
Billfishes
| True billfishes have an upper jaw roughly cylindrical in
cross-section. They inhabit well-lit surface waters of the open
sea and feed on fishes during the day. The bill is slashed left
and right to maim prey so it can be swallowed with ease. Highly sought by sport
fishers but not esteemed as food, since the flesh of most species is
tough, dry, and high in mercury. |
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
| Makaira
mazara
PACIFIC BLUE MARLIN Kajiki
|
Kajikia audax
STRIPED MARLIN NAIRAGI
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| Istiophorus platypterus
SAILFISH
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Tetrapterus angustirostris
SHORTBILLED SPEARFISH
HEBI
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Family Xiphiidae
Broadbill Swordfish
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Xiphias gladius
BROADBILL SWORDFISH
SHUTOME
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Family Coryphaenidae
Mahimahi
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Coryphaena hippurus
DOLPHINFISH
MAHIMAHI
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Family Lampridae
Moonfish
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Lampris
megalopsis
BIGEYE MOONFISH OPAH
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Family
Bramidae
Pomfrets
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
| Taractichthys steindachneri
SICKLE POMFRET MONCHONG
|
Eumegistus illustris
LUSTROUS POMFRET MONCHONG
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| Brama sp.
POMFRET
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Family Zeidae
Dories
INDO-WEST PACIFIC / HAWAII
| Zenopsis
nebulosa
MIRROR DORY
Kagamidai
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Family Exocoetidae
Flyingfishes
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Cheilopogon spilonotopterus
STAINED FLYINGFISH
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Exocoetus volitans
TROPICAL TWO-WINGED FLYINGFISH
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Parexocoetus brachypterus
SAILFIN FLYINGFISH
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EASTERN PACIFIC
| Cheilopogon
pinnatibarbatus californicus
CALIFORNIA FLYINGFISH
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Family Nomeidae
Driftfishes
CIRCUMTROPICAL
| Psenes cyanophrys
FRECKLED DRIFTFISH
|
Psenes
arafurensis
DUSKY DRIFTFISH
|
| Nomeus
gronovii
MAN-O'-WAR FISH |
Cubiceps
paradoxus
LONGFIN CIGARFISH
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Family Myctophidae
Lanternfishes
| Lanternfishes inhabit midwater depths of the open ocean and make a
nightly migration toward the surface to feed upon zooplankton.
They employ light-emitting bacteria in special cells along the sides and
belly to create a pale green light to hide their silhouette from
predators below. They are among the most numerous animals in the
ocean. |
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Diaphus fragilis
FRAGILE LANTERNFISH
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Family Trichiuridae
Beltfishes
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Assurger anzac
RAZORBACK SCABBARDFISH Tachiuo
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Family
Echeneidae
Remoras, Sharksuckers
| Remoras are usually associated with large animals in the open
ocean. They use a special suction device on the forehead to
hitchhike on other animals to conserve energy. They feed upon scraps of food left by their host. They
might temporarily
attach themselves to vessels, swimmers or divers. |
CIRCUMTROPICAL / HAWAII
| Remora remora
COMMON REMORA
|
Echeneis naucrates
SLENDER SHARKSUCKER
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