Family : Exocoetidae (Flyingfishes)
Order : Beloniformes  (needle fishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Spotfin flyingfish
Fish Name : Cheilopogon furcatus
Max size : 35.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 5217)
Environment : pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 20 m
Climate : tropical; 43°N - 35°S
Global Importance :
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Widespread in tropical zones of all oceans. Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA to southern South America (Ref. 7251). Eastern Atlantic: equator eastward to 8°W, Cape Verde. Northwest Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951). Indian Ocean: widely distributed but absent from the Red Sea, northern Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf (Ref. 3395). Western Pacific: absent in inland waters of southeast Asia (Ref. 9839). Eastern Central Pacific. The distinction between Cheilopogon antoncichi and Cheilopogon unicolor awaits clarification.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 9-11. Body dark iridescent blue above, silvery white below; pectorals dark grey, with a broad pale margin crossed by a pale stripe becoming narrower toward anterior fin margin; pelvic fins pale (Ref. 2797). Juveniles up to 10-19 cm SL with dark bars on body and variegated paired fins (Ref. 2797).
Biology : Occurs in surface waters of the open ocean (Ref. 30573). Capable of leaping out of the water and gliding for considerable distances above the surface (Ref. 30573). Feeds on zooplankton and small fish (Ref. 9839)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Parin, Nikolay V.
Main Ref : Parin, N.V.. 1996. (Ref. 27313)

India country information
Common Names : പാരവ , Fulanghi, Parava, Spotfin flyingfish
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses