Whitespot Flyingfish

Hirundichthys albimaculatus

Exocoetidae · saltwater water fish

1 minute read · Species guide

Whitespot Flyingfish field guide illustration

About Whitespot Flyingfish

The whitespot flyingfish is an open-ocean fish of the central Pacific. It uses the near-surface layer rather than a bottom habitat.

Range and natural history

FishBase lists depths of approximately 0–20 meters and describes it as epipelagic. It can launch from the water and glide above the surface for substantial distances. That behavior identifies a flyingfish encounter, but several species share it.

The reported distribution excludes several seas around southeastern Asia and the southwest Pacific, including the Solomon and Coral seas. Such range qualifications matter when checking a sighting.

Sources: Hirundichthys albimaculatus species summary

Guide sources

Research reviewed 2026-10-19.

Range

Where it lives

Share of 1 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.
0%
100%
Share of 1 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water
WoRMS records this species in the sea.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Superclass
Actinopterygii
Class
Teleostei
Order
Beloniformes
Genus
Hirundichthys
Species
Hirundichthys albimaculatus
ITIS TSN
645255
WoRMS AphiaID
272169
GBIF key
2368677
Outside the US
ITIS also files it in Central Pacific Territories, Mexico.

Common questions about Whitespot Flyingfish

What is the scientific name of Whitespot Flyingfish?
The scientific name is Hirundichthys albimaculatus, in the family Exocoetidae. Classification follows ITIS.
Does Whitespot Flyingfish live in fresh water or salt water?
WoRMS records this species in the sea.
Where has Whitespot Flyingfish been recorded in the United States?
GBIF has observations in 1 states, with the most records in Hawaii. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives

Other Hirundichthys species

Same family

More Exocoetidae