A flying fish is a fish distinguished by the ability to leap from the water and seem to fly over a considerable distance above the water surface. It does not, however, truly fly as birds do. Rather, it glides. This “flying” ability of the flying fish is due to its large, long wing-like pectoral fins. These fins help the fish to propel it out of the water and glide. There are 64 species known to demonstrate this feature. However, they belong to different genera. There are about seven to nine genera of flying fish species that are presently recognized and most of them belong to the family Exocoetidae, class Actinopterygii, of phylum Chordata. Exocoetus is an example of the genus of the common flying fish. The fish species of this genus are found in the warmer parts of all the oceans. This flying behavior is presumed to be an effort to escape from predators.
See also
- Exocoetus
- Actinopterygian
- Chordata
References
- Davenport, John (1994-06-01). “How and why do flying fish fly?” Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 4 (2): 184–214.
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