 Exocoetidae 
Flying fish, of which there are about forty known species, can be found in oceans all around the world. Their torpedo shape helps them gather enough underwater speed to break through the surface, and their large, wing-like pectoral fins get them airborne. While they cannot fly in the same way a bird does, flying fish can make powerful, self-propelled leaps out of the water where their long wing-like fins enable gliding for considerable distances above the water's surface. There are at least 40 known species of flying fish, which feed on a variety of foods, including plankton. Flying fish use their gliding ability to escape predators, including mackerel, tuna, swordfish, marlin, and other large fish. All flying fish have unevenly forked tails, with the lower lobe longer than the upper. Many species also have enlarged pelvic fins, and are known as 'four-winged flying fish'. 
Gliding begins by gaining a speed of about 60 kilometres per hour underwater. Angling upward, the flying fish breaks the surface and begins to taxi by rapidly beating its tail while it is still beneath the surface. It then goes airborne, reaching heights over 1.2 metres and gliding long distances, sometimes up to 200 metres. Once it falls to near the surface again, it can flap its tail and taxi without fully returning to the water. Capable of continuing its flight this way, flying fish have been recorded stretching out their flights with consecutive glides spanning distances up to 400 metres. In May 2008, a Japanese television crew filmed a flying fish off the coast of Japan that spent 45 seconds in flight. The previous record was 42 seconds. Spawning takes place in the open ocean, near the water’s surface. A female deposits eggs, which are attached by sticky filaments to seaweed and floating debris. Newly hatched flying fish have whiskers near their mouths, which disguises them as plants, protecting them from predators. A flying fish lives for an average of five years. Flying fish are commercially fished in Japan, Vietnam, and China by gillnetting, and in Indonesia and India by dipnetting.   |