Reach up to 400 meters away and 6 meters high, with a speed that according to some estimates could reach the 60-70 kilometers per hour, But on average average it is around 3o km/h: the “flights” of the flying fish of the Exocoetides family, capable of flying over to water the marine surface, are certainly a show for surfers in the open sea that witnesses it. In reality, this is not a real flight: these animals in all respects Plananinstead of flying actively as birds do, they do not “burn” the wings but go out of the water and Planan exploiting – this behavior has evolved as survival strategy to escape underwater predators. Leaving the water, the flying fish react to an imminent attack and make their tracks lose, even if this exposes them to marine birds.
What are flying fish have fins like wings and tail as rudder
Flying fish belong to the Exocoetides family, a group that includes over 60 species of fish with an elongated and aerodynamic shape, and from oversized pectoral fins. They reach maximum of 50 cm and live in hot and high sea waters, mainly feeding on Plankton. The pectoral fins give these animals an “wing opening” which can reach 45 cm. In some species, the rear fins are also enlarged and are used for the same function. Flying fish could therefore be divided into two main types based on the body model.
The model “monoplane“, more crushed laterally and with very large pectoral fins, is better adapted for speed: these fish launch out of the water with an angle of about 45 degrees, remaining in the air for less time but reaching greater heights.
The “Biplano” model instead, is more flattened twenty And it also relaxes the rear fins: the fish emerges from the water more slowly, to a lower angle, but thanks to the shape of the body and the greater surface of its fins, it has a greater lift and is therefore able to plan with water longer and for a greater distance.
In both body models, the lower lobe of the caudal fin is overlapped, and acts from rudder, allowing the flying fish to direct and stabilize the planata, just like that of a plane. It is in fact a planning flight, not active: Flying fish do not burn the fins For how birds do with wings, but they rely on propulsion given by their initial thrust out of the water and additional tail seals during the journey.
How long can these fish fly and why they do it
Thanks to these adaptations, flying fish are able to remain out of the water for considerable periods, especially if the wind conditions are favorable – The planned flight record captured on video amounts to 45 secondswith the fish immersing the tail in the water to give a further push. The reason why flying fish launch out of the water is for escape water predators Like dolphins, swordfish and tuna.
Booking in mid -air, the flying fish take care momentarly from the extent of the predators and also make themselves more difficult to trace with the view or the sense of smell. Living in a group, flying fish often react to the dangers in unison: it is therefore possible to deserve the presence of a fish or predator cetacean from a group of flying fish that launches out of the water. However, the Trade Off of throwing yourself out of the water is that this strategy exposes to other predators, the flying ones: marine birds such as seagulls, sterne and frigates are lurking to catch them in mid -air. Flying fish must therefore juggle between attacks from above and from the bottom to survive.
Flying fish … an example of convergent evolution
The adaptation of flying fish offers us excellent examples of different evolutionary phenomena. It is a case of convergent evolutionthat is, when a structure or behavior evolves into groups of animals not strictly related to each other. The non -active planar flight can in fact also find it in the flying squirrels And in the flying dragons, which use leather flaps on the sides of the body to glide, but also in the flying frogs (which Planano opening the legs and using them as parachute) and in the flying squid, which are thrown out of the water for short periods just like the flying fish, and which prolong and stabilize the flight by relaxing the rear fins and positioning the tentacles.
Flying fish fins are also an example of exact“exact”, that is, when a structure evolved for a function ends up being reused for another function. Initially used for swimming, they gradually hired one secondary function (not necessarily linked to the fly) in individuals who had larger fins, bringing, by natural selection, to increasing fins, until it only proves to be suitable also for plating out of the water.
