204 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Corxjplixna Linnaeus Syst. Nat., Ed. X, 261, 1758 ( hippurus ). 
Caranxomorus Lacfipcde, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 82, 1802 ( pelagicus ). 
Lepimpliis Rafinesque, Caratteri, 33, 1810 ( hippitroicles ). 
Lampv.gus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., IX, 317, 1833 ( pelagicus ; young). 
o. Dorsal rays 55 to 65; anal 26 to 30; adult with the front greatly elevated, forming a high crest. hippurus, p. 204 
aa. Dorsal rays 51 to 55; anal 24 to 26; profile of adult male not very steep and not very different from that of female. 
equisetis, p. 205 
157. Corypliaeiia hippurus Linnaeus. Common Dolphin. “ Mafvihi “ Mahimcihi.” Fig. 79. 
Head 4.35 in length; depth 5; eye 6.2 in head; snout 3; interorbital 3; maxillary 2.1; D. 57; A. 27. 
Body long and slender, deepest anteriorly; anterior profile in adult male nearly vertical; maxillary 
reaching posterior edge of pupil; mouth large, horizontal; bands of teeth on jaws, vomer, tongue, and 
palatines, the teeth all recurved, those in outer row larger, being wide-set, sharp, and conic; tongue 
rounded, free; eye low, anterior; a horizontal groove from eye to nostril; origin of dorsal over middle 
of eye in adult male, its tips extending to rudimentary rays of caudal, the twelfth or thirteenth ray 
being the highest; origin of anal nearer posterior edge of eye than base of caudal; ventrals inserted 
slightly behind upper base of pectoral, 1.25 in head; pectoral 1.35. 
Color in alcohol, bluish silvery above, lighter below, becoming white on belly; the sides, chiefly 
below lateral line, with many dark spots about size of pupil, these most numerous anteriorly; dorsal 
fin dull purplish black; other fins color of corresponding parts of body except ventrals, which are dull 
purplish black on inner side; anal dull purplish on outer edge; peritoneum grayish black. 
This description is from a specimen (No. 04450) 29.5 inches long, from Honolulu. Numerous 
other examples were seen by us and several were preserved. One from Hilo, when fresh, had the 
lower half of body yellowish; blue spots under pectorals; jet black spots all over the rest of the lower 
side, upper portion bluish with dark spots on silvery bluish ground; dorsal fin bright ultramarine 
blue; belly light; anal tinged with blue. The color of this fish in life is indescribably beautiful, but 
it undergoes very rapid changes, while dying. After death only faint indications of the former colors 
remain. Our several specimens are 29 to 46 inches in length, from the largest of which the following 
measurements were secured: 
Inches. 
Length of fish to end of cleft of caudal fin 46 
Root of caudal to end of cleft 4.25 
Body exclusive of head 33.25 
Trunk 13.5 
Height of dorsal 8.0 
Height of anal , 5.25 
Height of ventral 7.75 
Height of pectoral 7.5 
Depth of body at vent. 8.0 
Caudal peduncle 2.5 
Coryphcena hippurus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. X, 261, 1758, open seas; Gunther, Cat.. II, 405, 1860; Gunther, Fische der 
Sudsee, V, 146, 1876 (Indian Ocean); Jordan & Evermann, Fishes North and Mid. Amer., I, 952, pi. 149, fig. 402, 1896; 
ibid, Amer. Food and Game Fishes, 324, with fig., 1902 ; Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Sept. 23, 1903), 
447 (Honolulu.) 
