Fishes That Do Not Fly: The Fascinating Flying Fishes

Approximately 40 flying fishes species exist today, which are divided into two broad categories. The "two-wingers" have two big pectoral fins comprising most of their "lift" surface. In contrast, the "four-wingers" also have two big pelvic fins aside from their long pectoral fins.

All species have a roughly cigar-shaped body with wide and long pectoral fins on both sides. Their tails are asymmetrical, and like all fishes, have a tail that is forked vertically or hypocercal. Their vertebral column extends into the longer lobe at the bottom of the fork, so that it looks like a rudder.

Flying fishes have a length of approximately six to 20 inches (or 15 to 50 cm). Juvenile fishes start "flying" after they attain a length of approximately two inches (or 5 cm). This was reported by John Davenport, a biologist who published a 1994 article in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries.

According to Davenport, flying fishes evolved their "flying" ability to avoid fast-swimming predators like dolphins. Their eyes, particularly their cornea, evolved to let them see in the air as well as under the water.

Flying fishes feed on small fishes and crustaceans.

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"Flying" above the water

Flying fishes can soar very fast above water. Their speeds are so fast so that biologists in the past could not determine their propulsion method.

They could not see if the fishes flapped their pectoral fins similarly to how birds fly, or if they used another propulsion method.

Finally, in 1941, researchers published photos of flying fishes while "flying." The high-speed pictures showed the animals leaping out from the water, then gliding, and then repeating the process. 

These fishes can swim to the surface at a speed of approximately three feet (or one meter) each second. This is 20 to 30 times their length each second. They furiously beat their tail and hold the pectoral fins tight against the body. After erupting above the water, they then spread their fins to glide.

According to Frank Fish, a biologist, in his 1990 review in the Journal of Zoology, they can reach a maximum height of 26 feet (or 8 meters) over the water to make consecutive glides. After a glide, they immediately swim very fast, pick up speed, and gain the needed thrust to again break out from the water. Frank Fish says that the fishes can make a maximum of twelve successive glides. 

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A disputed, traditional fish

Flying fishes are not threatened nor endangered. Their IUCN Red List category is of the least concern.

Recent decades saw the fourwing species Hirundichthys affinis being disputed between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.

Both Caribbean nations trade the fish commercially. Barbados considers the fish as such an important part of their culture and economy that it called itself the Land of the Flying Fish.

The migratory routes of the fish have changed lately, possibly because of climate change. This caused them to visit the waters around Trinidad and Tobago more frequently. This caused Barbados fishers to follow the fishes.

This resulted in Tobagonian fishers accusing Barbadian fishers of impinging on their territorial waters. However, Barbados fishers believed that it is their right to catch the fishes regardless of their location because it is their traditional food.

This was reported in a 2007 publication in the Marine Policy journal. A 2006 arbitral case settled the matter which apparently satisfied both countries. However, it did not end the conflict of the flying fishes.

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