Mahi-mahi
species of fish
The mahi-mahi ( MAH-hee-MAH-hee), common dolphinfish, dolphinfish, dolphin or dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters worldwide. It is one of two members of the family Coryphaenidae, the other being the pompano dolphinfish. These fish are most commonly found in the waters around the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Indian Ocean. In Italy it is called corifena, lampuga or pesce capone, and has even given its name to the caponata though eggplant has now taken the place of the fish.
Nomenclature
The name mahi-mahi comes from the Hawaiian language and means 'very strong', through the process of reduplication. Though the species is also referred to as the common dolphinfish, they are not related to dolphins; the origin of the name "dolphinfish" is recent and was given to avoid confusion with dolphins, as the traditional name of the fish was also "dolphin". See Coryphaena for the possible etymologies of dolphinfish. In parts of the Pacific and along the English-speaking coast of South Africa, the mahi-mahi is commonly referred to by its name in Spanish, dorado.
Linnaeus named the genus, derived from the Greek word, κορυφή, koryphe, meaning 'top' or 'apex', in 1758. Synonyms for the species include Coryphaena argyrurus, Coryphaena chrysurus, and Coryphaena dolfyn.
“Mahi-mahi” enters the record as species of fish. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Mahi-mahi, species and fish can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Mahi-mahi” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Mahi-mahi, species and fish provides the most credible route into that argument.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q14443. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1758.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Mahi-mahi”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Mahi-mahi primary sources, Mahi-mahi archive and Mahi-mahi research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Mahi-mahi”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Mahi-mahi” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.