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EXOC

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FISHING AREA 51
(W, Indian Ocean)

EXOCOETIDAE

Elongate fishes, their bodies broadly cylindrical (round in cross-section), flattened ventrally in some species.
Snout blunt, shorter than eye in all Indian Ocean species; mouth small; jaw teeth absent or very small; gilirakers
well developed; upper pharyngeal bones of third gill arches close together, but not fused into a single plate. No
spines in fins; dorsal and anal fins set equally far back on body, their bases short and opposed; pectoral fins high
on sides, strikingly long, always extending beyond dorsal fin origin; pelvic fins abdominal in position, and greatly
enlarged in many, but not all, species; caudal fin deeply forked, its lower lobe longer than the upper. Lateral line
low on body; scales large, cycloid (smooth to touch), easily shed. Swimbladder large, extending posteriorly beyond
body cavity.
Colour: dark above, pale below; the dark colours usually iridescent blue or green in life. Pectoral fins in
some species with dark spots or pale stripes. Dorsal fin in some species with black pigment.

Young stages (to about 10 cm); quite different in appearance from adults; dorsal fin often higher than in
adults, pectoral fins shorter; colour patterns variable, spots and bars often developed; chin barbels conspicuous in
many species.

Flyingfishes inhabit the surface waters of the open ocean and inshore areas. They are well known for their
habit of leaping out of the water and gliding over long distances by means of their expanded pectoral fins (two-wing
gliders) and sometimes also with their pelvic fins (four-wing gliders).

Even though flyingfishes are usually appreciated as food, there are only a few commercial fisheries for these
resources. Within the Western Indian Ocean, such fisheries have developed only in India, with annual landings up to
10 900 tons (1963) and 9 200 tons (1971) (CMFRI Annual Reports 1969 to 1977). However, most of the fisheries for
this group of resources are operating along the east coast of the country. Statistics are usually not broken down
by species, and hence, it is difficult to assess the relative importance of the individual components of flyingfish
catches.
Flyingfishes are attracted by light and this is sometimes used to aid in their capture. Almost the entire
catch is salted and sun dried.

pectoral fins
high on sides
greatly enlarged

lateral line
low
pelvic fins abdominal, lower lobe of
enlarged in some caudal fin longer
species than upper lobe
 -2-

FAO Sheets EXOCOETIDAE Fishing Area 51

SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Hemiramphidae: all with longer bodies, except

Oxyporhamphus; pectoral fins short to medium length,
never reaching dorsal fin origin; lower jaw much longer
than upper jaw, except in adult Oxyporhamphus; upper a) Hemlramphus
pharyngeals of third gill arch fused, forming a single (a typical representative)
plate; swimbladder not extending posteriorly beyond body
cavity.

b) Oxyporhamphus
(a representative without prolonged lower jaw)

Hemiramphidae

Exocoetidae
KEY TO GENERA OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

1a. Pectoral fins not reaching beyond poste-

rior part of anal fin base; pectoral branch
of lateral line present (Fig.1); upper jaw
protrusible (Fig.2) ......................…....... Parexocoetus

1b. Pectoral fins reaching beyond anal fin

base to, or almost to, caudal fin base; pectoral
pectoral branch of lateral line absent branch
(Figs 3,4 and 7); upper jaw not protrusible

2a. Pelvic fins short, not reaching anal

fin origin (barely reaching in juve-
niles); pelvic fin insertion closer to Paraexocoetus Fig.1
pectoral fin insertion than to anal fin
origin (Fig.3) ..................................... Exocoetus

2b. Pelvic fins long, reaching beyond anal

fin origin; pelvic fin insertion closer
to anal fin origin than to pectoral fin
insertion (Figs 4 and 7)

mouth opened mouth closed

Parexocoetus Fig.2

*The taxonomy of the family in the Indian

and Pacific Oceans is still confused and
needs to be thoroughly revised. Hence,
the above key to genera as well as the list
of species must be regarded as provisional
Exocoetus Fig.3
 -3-

FAO Sheets EXOCOETIDAE Fishing Area 51

3a. Origin of anal fin 3 rays or more behind

origin of dorsal fin (Fig.4); dorsal fin
usually with 2 to 4 (rarely with one) rays
more than anal fin

4a. F i r s t 3 o r 4 p e c t o r a l f i n r a y s
unbranched (Figs 5a,b) ................. Prognichthys

4b. Only the first pectoral fin ray Cheilopogon Fig.4

unbranched (Fig.5c)

5a. Lower jaw a little shorter than

the upper and included beneath
the upper jaw (Fig.6a) .......…... Cypselurus a) Prognichthys brevipinnis

5b. Both jaws of equal length (Fig.

6b), or lower jaw a little longer
than the upper (Fig.6c) .…….. Cheilopoqon*
b) Prognichthys sealei

3b. Origin of anal fin slightly before, under,

or not more than 3 rays behind origin of
dorsal fin (Fig.7); dorsal fin usually with
less, or equal number of rays than anal fin
(rarely with 1 or 2 more) ...................... Hirundichthys
c) Cypselurus,
cheilopogon
Fig.5

a) Cypselurus b) Cheilgpogon c) Cheilopogon

Fig. 6

Hirundichthys Fig.7

* Cheilopogon species are placed in the genus Cypselurus in FAO Species Identification Sheets for Atlantic areas
 -4-

FAO Sheets EXOCOETIDAE Fishing Area 51

LIST OF SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Code numbers are given for those species for which Identification Sheets are included

Cheilopogon atrisignis (Jenkins, 1904) EXOC Cheil 1

Cheilopogon cyanopterus (Valenciennes, 1846) EXOC Cheil 2 (= Cypselurus cyanopterus EXOC Cyp
2, Fishing Areas 34/47 in part))
Cheilopogon furcatus (Mitchill, 1815) EXOC Cheil 3 (= Cypselurus furcatus EXOC Cyp 4,
Fishing Areas 31 a4/47 (in part))
Cheilopogon hexazona (Bleeker, 1852)
Cheilopogon intermedius Parin, 1961
Cheilopogon nigricans (Bennett, 1840) EXOC Cheil 4 (= Cypselurus nigricans EXOC Cyp 8,
Fishing Areas 34 47 in part))
* Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus (Lowe)
Cheilopogon suttoni (Whitley & Colefax, 1938) EXOC Cheil 5
Cypselurus angusticeps Nichols & Breder, 1930
Cypselurus naresii (Günther, 1889) EXOC Cyp 10
Cypselurus oligolepis (Bleeker, 1866) EXOC Cyp 11
Cypselurus poecilopterus (Valenciennes, 1846) EXOC Cyp 12
Exocoetus monocirrhus Richardson, 1846 EXOC Exoc 3
Exocoetus volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) EXOC Exoc 2
Hirundichthys coromandelensis (Hornell, 1923) EXOC Hir 4
Hirundichthys oxycephalus Bleeker, 1852) EXOC Hir 5
Hirundichthys rondeletii (Valenciennes, 1846) EXOC Hir 2
Hirundichthys speculiger (Valenciennes, 1846) EXOC Hi 3

Parexocoetus brachypterus (Richardson, 1846) EXOC Par 1

Parexocoetus mento Valenciennes, 1846) EXOC Par 2
Prognichthys brevipinnis (Valenciennes, 1846) EXOC Progn 2
Prognichthys sealei Abe, 1955 EXOC Progn 3

Prepared by N.V. Parin, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Academy of Sciences USSR, Moscow, USSR.
Illustrations redrawn or copied from literature. Draft material revised by R.H. Gibbs, Division of Fishes, Natural
Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. 20560, USA

*Occurrence in area doubtful

 EXOC Cheil 1

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: EXOCOETIDAE FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)

Cheilopogon atrisignis (Jenkins, 1904)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE: None. Placed in genus Cypselurus by some authors

VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO : En - Glider flyingfish
Fr - Exocet planeur
Sp - Volador planeador

NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:

Body elongate, thick, somewhat flattened ventrally. Head shorter than distance between dorsal fin origin
and origin of upper caudal fin lobe; jaws of equal length; upper jaw not protrusible; lower jaw not included
beneath the upper; palatine teeth on root of mouth) present. Dorsal fin with 14 to 16 rays, anal fin with 9 to 11;
anal fin origin 4 to 6 rays behind origin of dorsal fin; dorsal fin low, rays at anterior end the longest; pectoral fins
strikingly long, 65 to 70% of standard length, only the first ray unbranched; pelvic fins abdominal, large, reaching
well beyond anal fin origin, their insertion closer to anal fin origin than to pectoral fin insertion and much nearer to
hind margin of head than to origin of lower caudal fin lobe. Pectoral branch of lateral line absent. Scale rows
across back in front of dorsal fin (predorsal scales) 33 to 40. Juveniles with 2 flattened chin barbels reaching to
over 30% of standard length.
Colour: dark above, pale below, the dark colour usually iridescent blue or greenish-blue in life; dorsal fin
usually with a black spot; pectoral fins brownish with numerous scattered dark spots; pelvic fins without spots
(spotted in juveniles).
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Cheilopoqon suttoni: dorsal fin with 12 to 14 rays

(14 to 16 in Ch. atrisignis); head approximately equal to
distance between dorsal fin origin and origin of upper
caudal lobe; pelvic fin insertion approximately at mid-
point of distance between hind margin of head and origin
of lower caudal fin lobe; juveniles with two flattened
chin barbels connected by their bases, their length to
about 25% of standard length.
Cypselurus poecilopterus: predorsal scales 24 to 28;
dorsal fin with 11 to 13 rays; without black spots; lower Cheilopogon suttoni
jaw included beneath the upper; juveniles without chin
barbels.
Other flyingfishes occurring in the area: none have
the pectoral fins covered with numerous scattered dark
spots.

Cheilopogon atrisignis

Cypselurus

Cheilopogon suttoni

Cheilopogon atrisignis juvenile Cheilopoqon atrisignis

SIZE:

Maximum: about 30 cm standard length.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:

Widely distributed in the tropical Indian Ocean but

absent from the Red Sea and the "Gulf". Also occurs in
the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Pelagic in surface waters of both neritic and ocea-

nic areas; capable of leaping out of the water and gliding
for long distances above the surface.

PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:

Not known to be a commercial species, but included

in this publication to facilitate future field identification
and data collection.
 EXOC Cheil 2

1983

(= EXOC Cyp 2, Fishing

Areas 31 and 34/47)

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: EXOCOETIDAE FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)

Cheilopogon cyanopterus (Valenciennes, 1846)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE: None. Placed in genus Cypselurus by some authors

VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO: En - Margined flyingfish
Fr – Exocet codène
Sp - Volador bordiblanco

NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:

Body elongate, thick, somewhat flattened ventrally. Head approximately equal to distance between dorsal fin
origin and origin of upper caudal fin lobe; jaws of equal length; upper jaw not protrusible; lower jaw not included
beneath the upper; palatine teeth (on roof of mouth) usually present. Dorsal fin with 12 to 14 rays, anal fin with 9
to 11; anal fin origin 5 to 7 rays behind origin of dorsal fin; dorsal fin low, rays at anterior end the longest;
pectoral fins strikingly long, 65 to 70% of standard length, only the first ray unbranched; pelvic fins abdominal,
large, reaching well beyond anal fin origin, their insertion closer to anal fin origin than to pectoral fin insertion
and much nearer to hind margin of head than to origin of lower caudal fin lobe. Pectoral branch of lateral line
absent. Scale rows across back in front of dorsal fin (redorsal scales) 33 to 41. Juveniles with a pair of long chin
barbels (about equal to standard length in some individuals and without lateral flaps.
Colour: dark above, pale below, the dark colours usually iridescent blue in life; dorsal fin with a prominent
black spot; pectoral fins dark, blue in life, without a pale transverse stripe or dark spots; pelvic fins without spots
(with a dark spot in juveniles).

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Cheilopogon nigricans: pectoral fins with a pale

transverse stripe which is yellow or greyish-yellow in life;
predorsal scales 24 to 28 (33 to 41 in Ch. cyanopterus);
head shorter than distance between dorsal fin origin and
origin of upper caudal fin lobe; pelvic fins usually with a
black spot; juveniles with a pair of shorter (not more than
35% of standard length) chin barbels, each bearing a
smaller lateral flap.
Ch. nigricans

Ch. cyanopterus
juvenile
 Ch. atrisiqnis and Ch. suttoni: pectoral fins with
numerous scattered dark spots. Furthermore, in Ch.
atrisignis, dorsal fin with 14 to 16 rays (12 to 14 in Ch.
cyanopterus). and juveniles with a pair of flattened chin-
barbels, their length about 30% of standard length; and in
Ch. suttoni, pelvic fin insertion approximately at mid-
point of distance between hind margin of head and origin Ch. suttoni
of lower caudal fin lobe-, juveniles with a pair of flat- Ch. nigricans
tened shorter chin barbels, about 25% of standard length.
Ch. pinnatibarbatus: predorsal scales 39 to 47;
head less than 22% of standard length (longer in Ch.
cyanopterus); greatest width of body less than 13.5% of
standard length (more in Ch. cyanopterus); juveniles with
an unpair, fringed chin barbel.
Other Cheilopoqon species: predorsal scales less Ch. furcatus
than 35; pectoral fins with a paler transverse strip or Ch. cyanopterurs
pectoral fin
basal triangle; palatine teeth present or absent; chin
barbels in juveniles shorter (less than 35% of standard
length) or absent.
Cypselurus species: predorsal scales less than 32;
lower jaw included beneath the upper. Furthermore, pec-
toral fins with numerous dark spots in C. poecilopterus.
Proqnichthys species: pectoral fins with 3 or 4
unbranched rays; lower jaw included beneath the upper;
predorsal scales 25 to 29.
Hirundichthys species: anal fin origin not more Cypselurus Ch. cyanopterus
than 3 rays behind origin of dorsal fin.
Exocoetus species: pelvic fin insertion closer to
pectoral fin insertion than to anal fin origin; pelvic fins
short, not reaching anal fin origin.
Parexocoetus species: pectoral fins shorter, 55 to
60% of standard length; dorsal fin high, with middle rays
the longest; pectoral branch of lateral line present; upper
jaw protrusible.
Hirundichthys

Exocetus

SIZE: Cheilopogon
Maximum: about 29 cm standard length.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:
Widely distributed in the tropical Indian Ocean but apparently
absent from the Red Sea, northern Arabian Sea and the "Gulf". Also
occurs in the Atlantic and western Pacific Oceans.
Pelagic in surface waters of both neritic and oceanic areas;
capable of leaping out of the water and gliding for long distances above
the surface.

PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:

Not known to be a commercial species, but included in this
publication to faciltate future field identification and data collection.

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