Winged fish, more commonly known as flying fish, represent a fascinating group of marine creatures with a truly remarkable adaptation. These fish possess an extraordinary ability to launch themselves out of the water and glide through the air for considerable distances. While they do not engage in powered flight like birds, their aerial excursions are a unique spectacle in the open ocean. This specialized form of locomotion allows them to briefly escape the aquatic environment.
The Mechanics of Flight
The journey of a flying fish into the air begins underwater, where it builds up impressive speed by rapidly oscillating its body and tail. It can reach speeds of over 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour) before breaking the surface. As the fish angles itself upwards, its large pectoral fins remain folded tightly against its streamlined body, minimizing drag.
Upon reaching the surface, the fish extends its pectoral fins while keeping the lower lobe of its unevenly forked tail submerged. This lower lobe then beats vigorously, up to 70 times per second, providing the necessary thrust to propel the fish fully out of the water. Once airborne, the fish spreads its wing-like pectoral fins, using them to generate lift and glide above the ocean surface, much like a paper airplane. Glides typically span about 160 to 650 feet (50 to 200 meters) and can reach heights of up to 20 feet (6 meters). Some recorded glides have extended for up to 1,300 feet (400 meters) and lasted for 45 seconds.
Anatomy of a Glider
Flying fish possess several physical adaptations for gliding. Their most noticeable features are the enlarged, rigid pectoral fins, which serve as aerodynamic wings during flight. Some species, referred to as “two-winged” flying fish, primarily use only these pectoral fins for gliding.
Other species are known as “four-winged” flying fish because they possess not only enlarged pectoral fins but also developed pelvic fins, which act as a second pair of wings to provide additional lift and stability. The fish’s body is streamlined and torpedo-shaped, designed to reduce drag both in water and air, facilitating rapid acceleration. Their specialized caudal fin, or tail, is unevenly forked, with the lower lobe being longer and stronger than the upper, allowing it to provide continuous propulsion even as the fish’s body lifts out of the water. Their vertebral column is rigid and supported by broadened neural arches, ensuring a sturdy body for airborne maneuvers.
Habitat and Survival Strategy
Flying fish inhabit the surface waters of warm tropical and subtropical oceans in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They are commonly found in the epipelagic zone, the uppermost layer of the ocean extending to about 660 feet (200 meters) deep. Their presence in these waters is driven by their primary survival mechanism: escaping predators.
This aerial escape strategy is effective against numerous underwater predators such as tuna, marlin, swordfish, mackerel, dolphins, and squid. By leaping out of the water, flying fish can temporarily evade these aquatic threats that cannot follow them into the air. However, this maneuver comes with a trade-off; while airborne, they become visible and vulnerable to avian predators like frigatebirds and gulls, presenting a different set of challenges.