Family : Exocoetidae (Flyingfishes)
Order : Beloniformes  (needle fishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : African sailfin flyingfish
Fish Name : Parexocoetus mento
Max size : 11.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 2797)
Environment : pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 20 m
Climate : tropical; 30°N - 23°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: widespread from East Africa, including the Red Sea and the Gulf, to southern Japan, Marshall Islands, Fiji, the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819) and Queensland, Australia. Migrated to eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal (Ref. 6523). Presence in Somalia to be confirmed (Ref. 30573). Records from the Atlantic (as Parexocoetus mento atlanticus) are in error.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-12; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 10-12. Dorsal fin mostly blackish; pectorals and caudal greyish, other fins transparent (Ref. 2797).
Biology : Found in near-shore surface waters, never spread to open sea (Ref. 9839). Capable of leaping out of the water and gliding above the surface (Ref. 30573)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Parin, Nikolay V.
Main Ref : Parin, N.V.. 1996. (Ref. 27313)

India country information
Common Names : पाखारू मासा, Cuvier's flying fish, Pakharu-masa
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses