Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Long Island, New York, September 2021. Length: 4.8 cm (1.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of James Lafontaine, Long Island, New York.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Female. Fish caught from shore off Roca de Ian, Bahia de Los Muertos, Baja California Sur, December 2019. Fork Length: 94 cm (3 feet 1 inch). Weight: 7.0 kg (15 lbs 6 oz). One of these off the beach – WOW! Catch courtesy of Brad Murakami, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Photograph courtesy of Christian Franck, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Male and Female. Fish caught from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, June 2017. Male: Fork Length: 1.00 m (3 feet 3 inches). Weight: 8 kg (18 lbs). Female: Fork Length: 1.05 m (3 feet 5 inches). Weight: 10 kg (21 lbs). Catch and photograph courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Male. Fish caught from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, June 2017. Fork Length: 1.00 m (3 feet 3 inches). Weight: 8 kg (18 lbs). Catch and photograph courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Female. Fish caught from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, June 2017. Fork Length: 1.05 m (3 feet 5 inches). Weight: 10 kg (21 lbs). Catch and photograph courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Male. Fish caught in coastal waters off Point Palmilla, Baja California Sur, April 2010. Fork Length: 1.07 m (3 feet 6 inches). Weight: 10 kg (22 lbs). Catch courtesy of Eduardo Correa, Mexico City.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Male. Mish caught from coastal waters off Point Palmilla, Baja California Sur, November 2012. Fork Length: 1.12 m (3 feet 8 inches). Weight: 11.8 kg (26 lbs).
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Male. Fish caught from coastal waters off La Ribera, Baja California Sur, December 2023. Fork Length: 1.32 m (4 feet 4 inches). Weight: 22 kg (49 lbs). Catch and courtesy of Brad Murakami, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Photograph courtesy of Mike Rousseau, Maple Ridge , British Columbia, Canada.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Male. Fish caught from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, April 2015. Fork Length: 1.42 m (4 feet 8 inches). Weight: 24 kg (53 lbs). Catch and photograph courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, Female. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 2022. Photograph and identification courtesy of Faith Hubsch, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, is a member of the Dolphinfish or Coryphaenidae Family, that is also known by its Hawaiian name mahi-mahi, scientifically as Dolphinfish and in Mexico as dorado. Globally, there are two species in the genus Coryphaena, both of which are found in all Mexican waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
The Dorado has an elongated compressed body with a maximum depth that is less than 25% of standard length. They are a brilliant metallic blue-green dorsally transitioning to golden yellow ventrally with scattered iridescent blue green spots covering their head and body. These striking colors quickly fade to uniform silver upon death. Their anal, caudal, and pelvic fins are yellow and their dorsal fin is blue-green. Juveniles are golden with twelve dark bars on their sides; their caudal fin has white tips and their pelvic fins are black. Adults are sexually dimorphic with males featuring a bony crest on their forehead and a near vertical front snout profile. Females have rounded heads. They have large mouths with numerous small teeth in bands on their jaws and a patch of small oval teeth on their tongue. Their anal fin has 25 to 31 rays and a long base with a concave anterior outer edge extending nearly to the caudal fin; their caudal fin is deeply forked; their dorsal fin has 55 to 65 rays and a long base and extends from the nape to almost the caudal fin; their pectoral fin are greater than 50% of the head length; and, their pelvic fins are short. Their anal and dorsal fins have no spines or isolated finlets toward the caudal fin. They are covered with small smooth scales. Their lateral line is sharply arched over the pectoral fins.
The Dorado is an oceanic pelagic species found predominantly on the surface but also at depths up to 256 m (840 feet). They reach a maximum of 2.30 m (6 feet 11 inches) in length and 39.6 kg (87 lbs) in weight. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 39.6 kg (87 lbs) with the fish caught in coastal waters of Costa Rica in September 1976. They prefer water temperatures between 21oC (70oF) and 30oC (86oF) frequently found in inshore waters. They are voracious predators in search of smaller fish focusing on flyingfish, herrings, jacks, mackerels, mullets, small tuna, and squid. In turn they are preyed upon by marlins, sailfish, sharks, swordfish, tuna, and sea birds. They are known to congregate under floating objects. Reproduction is oviparous and occurs year-round in open waters with each female releasing 58,000 to 1,500,000 eggs two or three times a year. They are an exceedingly fast growing species with a lifespan of only four years.
The Dorado is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
The Dorado is fairly easy to identify due to the coloration and shape of its body, however, the juveniles and small females are very similar to the Pompano Dorado, Coryphaena equiselis. I believe that numerous Pompano Dorado and misidentified as Dorado. The Pompano Dorado has a body depth greater than 25% of standard length, long pectoral fins but are less than half the head length and tooth patch on the tongue that is wide and square.
From a conservation perspective the Dorado is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable widely, distributed populations. They are one of the major tropical sportsfish of North America. They are routinely caught by recreational anglers on rapidly trolled jigs near the surface or on live fly-lined sardines. Smaller fish travel in schools of up to 50 individuals; if you catch 1 you can usually catch several. They are inquisitive party animals and will follow hooked comrades to the boat where they too can be caught. Larger Dorado travel as individuals or in pairs. They are considered an excellent food fish for human consumption and a target of commercial fishermen who utilize longlines and purse seine. They are caught globally at annual levels of 60,000 tons with notable declines recently in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. They are sold fresh or frozen with increasing demand and at elevated prices. When sold commercially they are most likely known as mahi-mahi. They have fairly recently been the subject of a series of new conservation measures. In Mexico they are covered by new commercial regulations with area closures, a ban on the use of purse seines, and the recent implementation of a 2-fish per day limit for recreational anglers. Note. A small Dorado caught on lightweight tackle on a fly-lined sardine is perhaps one of the most exciting experiences in all of sportsfishing due to the spectacular aerial acrobatics of this fish.
Length versus Weight Chart: A Dorado Weight from Length Conversion Table has been included below to allow the accurate determination of a fish’s weight from its length and promote its rapid and unharmed return to the ocean (strongly recommended).
