Find a Fish
A flyingfish
Cheilopogon sp
A specimen of Cheilopogon sp caught at the surface, Twofold Bay, New South Wales, January 2002 (AMS I.41198-001). View larger image.
The fish's enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins have been expanded. Note the branching fin rays. View larger image.
This image shows the pectoral fin base and the beautiful blue colouration typical of many flyingfishes. View larger image.
Flyingfishes are easily recognised by their huge pectoral fins.
They are well known for their gliding (rather than flying) ability and can be loosely divided into two types.
The four-wing flyingfishes (like that in the images) have both the pectoral and pelvic fins enlarged.
They can glide for 200m or more. These fishes are often seen taxiing just above the water surface, rapidly beating the water with the large lower lobe of the caudal fin (see top image).
The two-wing flyingfishes have enlarged pectoral fins only. They generally do not glide as far at the four-wing flyingfishes.
Flyingfishes use their gliding ability to escape from predators. A flying fish will commonly glide at double its swimming speed. Some species have been known to accelerate from a fast swimming speed of about 36km/hour to as much as 72km/hour in air.
Unless the day is sunny and the water is particularly still, a pursuing predator will not be able to see a flying fish in the air because of refraction at the water surface.
Most fishes have curved corneas. Flyingfishes have flattened corneas that enable them to focus in and out of the water. This didn't seem to help the fish in the image. It was caught after its flight was abruptly terminated by District Fisheries Officer M. Proctor's head.
Flyingfishes range in length from 14cm to 46 cm.
Most have small mouths and eat plankton.
They are found near the surface of all tropical and some temperate marine waters.
View a map of the collecting localities of all species of Cheilopogon in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Carter, G.S. 1945. The flight of flying-fishes. Endeavour IV (16). Pp. 5.
- Collette, B.B. & N.V. Parin in Paxton, J.R. & W.N. Eschmeyer (Eds). 1994. Encyclopedia of Fishes. Sydney: New South Wales University Press; San Diego: Academic Press [1995]. Pp. 240.
- Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Helfman, G.S., Collette, B.B. & D.E. Facey. 1997. The Diversity of Fishes. Blackwell Science. Pp. 528.
