Bluntnose flying fish
The bluntnose flying fish, scientifically known as Prognichthys gibbifrons, is a unique species native to the Atlantic Ocean, found along the coasts of North and South America. Characterized by its broad, blunt head, this fish reaches an average length of about 10 inches (25 centimeters) and possesses large pectoral fins that enable it to glide through the air. When escaping predators, such as tuna and marlin, the bluntnose flying fish swims rapidly along the water’s surface to gain enough speed for takeoff, gliding a few seconds before returning to the ocean.
In terms of anatomy, the bluntnose flying fish features a low, transparent dorsal fin and bi-colored pectoral fins, which aid in balance and propulsion. It primarily feeds on a carnivorous diet, consisting of crabs, smaller fish, insects, and zooplankton, which it filters from the water using its gillrakers. The species typically resides in open waters as adults, while juveniles are often found near shorelines in the Gulf of Mexico. Their reproduction involves spawning, where females release eggs near the water's surface, and fertilization occurs shortly afterwards. The bluntnose flying fish has a lifespan of around five years and is not currently considered endangered.
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Bluntnose flying fish
The bluntnose flying fish is native to North and South American Atlantic Ocean. The bluntnose flying fish was named for its broad, blunt head. Like other flying fish, the bluntnose flying fish swims through the water and glides through the air by the use of its large pectoral, or side, fins. It gains lift, by swimming quickly along the surface of the water until it has built up enough speed to rise onto the wind. Once it is airborne, the bluntnose flying fish stops flapping its fins and glides gently above the water for a few seconds.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Beloniformes
Family: Belonidae
Genus: Prognichthys
Species: Gibbifrons
The bluntnose flying fish generally grows to a length of about 10 inches (25 centimeters). Its dorsal, or back, fin is low and transparent, or clear, while its pectoral fins are bi-colored, or two-colored. They are deep gray around the tips, but much paler in the middle.
The bluntnose flying fish uses its many fins to help it swim and glide. It uses its dorsal and anal, or back and belly, fins to keep balanced while in the water and in the air. It uses its caudal, or tail, fin much like a ship uses a propeller. The fin moves from side to side propelling the fish as it swims. The bluntnose flying fish uses its long, strong pectoral, or side, fins along with the help of its smaller pelvic fins to paddle it through the water and gain enough speed to lift it into the air.
Once it is in the air, the bluntnose flying fish stops moving its fins and glides gently until its return to the water. The bluntnose flying fish is only able to fly, or glide, for a few seconds before having to return to the water. Generally, the bluntnose flying fish only moves out of the water when it is trying to escape a predator. Sometimes the predators appear smarter than the bluntnose flying fish. Predators of this fish, including tuna, marlin, and swordfish, often wait in the place where the bluntnose flying fish will re-enter the water.
Like other fish, the bluntnose flying fish must have oxygen to survive. It gets the oxygen it needs from its watery surroundings. To do this the bluntnose flying fish takes water into its mouth. It then keeps the oxygen it needs, and filters the waste chemicals out through the gills on the sides of its head.
The adult bluntnose flying fish is typically found in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, while the young are more often found near the shoreline in the Gulf of Mexico.
The bluntnose flying fish is a carnivorous, or meat-eating, fish. It survives on a diet of crabs, smaller fish, insects, insect larvae, and small, floating animals known as zooplankton. It catches zooplankton by filtering water through its gillrakers. The bluntnose flying fish takes water into its mouth, and filters it out through its gills. The tiny zooplankton become trapped in the fish's gillrakers and are quickly devoured.
Mating season for the bluntnose flying fish begins when the female releases her eggs near the surface of the water. The male then fertilizes those eggs. This process of releasing and fertilizing eggs is known as spawning. After spawning, the fertilized bluntnose flying fish eggs drift down toward the bottom of the sea. Before these eggs are able to reach the bottom, the young bluntnose flying fish hatch. They quickly beginning swimming back toward the surface.
The life span of the bluntnose flying fish is around five years. They are not considered a threatened, vulnerable, or endangered species.
Bibliography
“Bluntnose Flying Fish Prognichthys Gibbifrons.” Dutch Caribbean Species Register, 2024, www.dutchcaribbeanspecies.org/linnaeus‗ng/app/views/species/nsr‗taxon.php?id=193038&cat=CTAB‗NAMES. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Meyers, P., et al. “ADW: Prognichthys Gibbifrons: Classification.” Animal Diversity Web, 2024, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Prognichthys‗gibbifrons/classification. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.