Fish flying - the victory of nature over logic.

Many animals would gladly exchange their tail for wings. Yes there are animals! We, people, from time immemorial strived in the sky, thanks to which we have hang-gliders, airplanes and other aircraft. But wings, alas, have not grown. But who would have thought that advanced humanity would be smartly circumvented by the fish? The flying silvery inhabitant of the sea depths always made an indelible impression on homo sapiens. It was the prototype of a toy flying fish, which in a matter of months turned into an incredibly popular fun for children and adults. Flying fish (air swimmers) - what it really is?

Fins-wings

Here it is - a winged muse from under the water, inspired the inventors to create flying machines. Fish flying over the waves like a bird, in Latin is called Exocoetidae (and in Russian - Diptera, or flying fish) and belongs to the Sargano group, which has as many as 52 species.

The appearance, in particular the means of movement of this representative of underwater depths, is amazing. This unusual fish from the head to the tip of the tail has a length of 15-25 centimeters, the largest individuals sometimes reach half a meter. Her elongated body has wide, well-developed, fairly strong and stiff pectoral fins, which are very similar to sweeping wings. In some individuals, each mahovaja fin is bifurcated - such fishes are called the four-winged fin.

Fish flying over the sea, has a giant air bubble, containing up to 44 cubic centimeters of air! He, along with the wings, helps the marine inhabitant fly and soar.

Subtropical Discovery

Fish, floating above the water surface, like birds, live exclusively in the tropics and subtropics. This species does not tolerate the temperature of the habitat below +20 ^о С. Their residence is the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as the Red and Mediterranean seas. The largest concentration of flying beauties is observed in the Caribbean Sea, near Barbados.

Flying fish (photo of which can often be found in glossy tourist publications), leads to the indescribable delight of both travelers and natives, who every time in admiration freeze at the sight of hovering representatives of this fish family.

Diet Features

Winged fish flying over the sea in complete solitude are a rare phenomenon: this species always keeps flocks, sometimes it is grouped into large jambs. Often they surround the passing ships with a dense ring. These peaceful flyers are absolutely not aggressive - rather, they themselves are food for predators. The diet of flying fish consists of plankton, small crustaceans, benthic microorganisms and mollusks.

For whom is the delicacy a flying fish? Shark, large squids, birds and people - everyone loves tender delicious meat of winged curiosity. A caviar, called "tobiko", is widely used in cooking dishes of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Flying fish is a valuable commercial product, but so far their number in the world's oceans is not threatened by the magnificent fertility. Each individual is able to postpone up to 24 thousand eggs.

Water as a take-off strip

Flying fish soar above the water is not a pleasure for the sake of, but to escape from the threatening danger in the form of predators. How does this happen? Under the water of flying fish, fins-wings are tightly pressed to the body. Before take-off, it at times accelerates the movement of the tail (up to 70 times per second!), Accelerating to a speed of 55-60 kilometers per hour. Then the fish flies up to a height of 1.5-5 meters, spreading the pectoral fins. The range of the flight is small and can vary from 1.5 to 5 meters! It is interesting that in the air the sea flyers do not know how to fly, which is why they often crash into ships or fall on the deck with a rain of fish.

The duration of the flight can reach 45 seconds, but this is a rarity. On average, the flight of flying fish lasts 10 seconds.

The fish takes off not only to avoid marine predators, but also to light. This weakness is used by fishermen: it is enough to shine a lantern over the boat at night, and the lover of light herself will jump into the trap. Back to the sea flyunya will not be able to return, because there is no water to disperse the tail.

Continuation of the genus

Despite the fact that there are plenty of hunters on a winged fish, the population is not threatened. As we have already mentioned, each female is able to postpone up to 24 thousand eggs for one spawning. They are painted in a bright orange color, the diameter of each oscillates within 0.5-0.8 mm. Where does the spawn spawn fish lay? Photos made by many people show that this fish is not particularly picky when choosing a "house" for future offspring. Caviar is attached to everything that literally falls under the fin - to litter, algae, feathers of birds, branches and even coconuts, brought into the sea from the land.

Flies of flying fishes eat plankton, which is collected near the surface of the sea. Appearance of children differ from adult winged individuals - their color is bright and mottled.