Flying fish

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Flying fish
Sailfin flying-fish Parexocoetus brachypterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Beloniformes
Family:	Exocoetidae
Genera
Cheilopogon Cypselurus Danichthys Exocoetus Fodiator Hirundichthys Oxyporhamphus Parexocoetus Prognichthys

Exocoetidae, aptly known as flying fish, are a marine fish family comprising about 64 species grouped in seven to nine genera. Flying fish are found in all of the major oceans, particularly in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Their most striking feature is their pectoral fins,^[1] which are unusually large, and enable the fish to hide and escape from predators^[2] by leaping out of the water, taking short glided flights through air just above the water's surface. Their glides are typically around 50 m (160 ft), but they can use updrafts at the leading edge of waves to cover distances of at least 400 m (1,300 ft).^[3]

Contents 1 Gliding mechanism 2 Diet 3 Importance 3.1 As food source 3.2 Japan 3.3 Barbados 4 Models for airplanes 5 Etymology 6 Flight time record 7 Art 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Gliding mechanism

In order to glide upward out of the water, a flying fish moves its tail to up to 50-70 times per second,^[4] which "vibrates" to produce enough speed to burst through the surface. It then spreads its pectoral fins and tilts them slightly upwards to lift itself to glide through the air.^[1] This permits it to sail above the ocean's surface where it can travel at speeds of more than 70 km/h.^[4] The fish is able to increase its time in the air by travelling against or at an angle to the direction of updrafts created by a combination of air currents and ocean currents^[1][4] in which the "wings" flutter due to the wind with a maximum glide time recorded to be 30 s.^[5] At the end of a glide, a flying fish folds up its pectoral fins which have been acting like "wings" to reenter the sea or drops the lower end its tail into the water where it "vibrates" the lower part of its tail to allow its body to reaccelerate and change direction, providing the thrust to lift itself for another glide.^[1][4] The aerodynamic shape of a flying fish "wing" is comparable to that of a bird's wing as bones of the fish produce a curved profile that helps generate lift during flight.^[5] Flying fish also have been recorded to glide 6 metres^[5] above the sea where some accounts have them land on ships' decks.^[4][6] A number of differences exist for the flying fish to glide. This depends on the number of fins it has which act as "wings" when out of the water. Genus Exocoetus has a pair of fins and a streamlined the body to optimise for speed while Cypselurus has a flattened body and two pairs of fins which maximises its ability to lift itself out of the water. At best, the longest known glide made by a flying fish genus Cypselurus is reported sailing 200 m or more.^[4]

[edit] Diet

Exocoetidae feed mainly on plankton. Predators include dolphins, tuna, marlin, birds, squids and porpoises.^[4]

[edit] Importance

[edit] As food source

Flying fish are commercially fished in Japan, Vietnam and Barbados by the method of gillnetting and in Indonesia and India by dipnetting.^[4] In Solomon Islands they are caught while flying, using nets in the air, held from outrigger canoes. They are attracted to the light of torches. Fishing is done only when the moon is not up.

[edit] Japan

The fish is often preserved by drying, are a staple diet of the Tao people of Orchid Island. In Japanese cuisine, flying fish roe (Tobiko), is often Cheilopogon agoo (Japanese flying fish), used to make some types of sushi.

[edit] Barbados

Historically the country of Barbados was nicknamed as "The land of the Flying fish". Today it remains the official national fish for the country.^[7] The once abundant flying fish migrated between the warm coral-filled Atlantic Ocean surrounding the island of Barbados and the plankton-rich outflows of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

Just after the completion of the Deep Water Harbor in Bridgetown, Barbados saw an increase of international ships, linking the island to the world. As a result the overall health of the coral reefs surrounding Barbados suffered due to ship-based pollution. Additionally, over-fishing by Barbadians has meant the species of flying fish have slowly retreated closer to the Orinoco river delta, no longer returning around Barbados in large numbers. Today, the flying fish only annually migrate as far north as the island of Tobago, around 120 nautical miles southwest of Barbados. Despite the move, flying fish have remained a coveted delicacy in Barbados. In recent times the flying fish have also been gaining in culinary popularity in other islands, adding fuel to several Caribbean-maritime disputes.

In 2006 the council of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea handed down a ruling^[8] fixing the maritime boundaries between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago over the flying fish dispute which gradually raised inter-island tensions between the neighbours.^[9] The ruling stated that both countries must now preserve flying fish stock for the future. Barbadian fishers have still tried to follow the flying fish southward in search of the Barbadian delicacy. Flying fish remain an important part of Barbados' main national dish^[10] which is known as Cou-Cou and Flying Fish.^[11][12]

Many aspects of Barbadian culture are centered around the flying fish: it is depicted on coins, as sculptures in fountains, in artwork, or even as part of the official logo of the Barbados Tourism Authority, which features a flying fish in flight.^[13] Additionally, the Barbadian coat of arms features a pelican and dolphin fish on either side of the shield, but the dolphin resembles a flying fish.

[edit] Models for airplanes

In 1900 to 1930s flying fish were studied as possible models used to develop airplanes.^[4]

[edit] Etymology

The origin of the term Exocoetidae is as follows:

• Greek 'εξωκοιτος = "lying down outside", "sleeping under the stars", from 'εξω = "outside" and κειμαι = "I lie down", applied to some flying-fishes believed to leave the water to sleep on the shore (Pliny's Natural History, vol. IX, 19). This form is more likely, as shown by the Latin name "exocoetus".

Flying fishes have given their name to:

• The Exocet guided missile^[14].
• Three ships of the United States Navy named USS Flying Fish.
• The constellation Volans ("flying fish").

[edit] Flight time record

In May 2008, a Japanese television crew (NHK) filmed a flying fish (dubbed "Icarfish") off the coast of Yakushima Island, Japan. The creature spent 45 seconds in flight. This is thought to be one of the longest recorded flights by a specimen of that family. The fish was able to stay aloft by occasionally beating the surface of the water with its caudal (tail) fin.^[15] The previous record was 42 seconds.^[15].

[edit] Art

Flying Fish by Herbert James Draper, 1910

A detail of a painting by Hieronymus Bosch

[edit] See also

• Flying and gliding animals
• Neuston

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Exocoetidae

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Flying-fish.

• May 2008 video of 45 second flight
• Fishbase entry for flyingfish
• Explanation
• Pictures
• Flying Fish,National Geographic Society

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