The First Record of the Rearfin Flying Fish, Cypselurus opisthopus (Exocoetidae), from the Waters of South India, with the Assessment of Flying Fish Species Occurring in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone

Abstract

The present study reports the first record of the rearfin flying fish, Cypselurus opisthopus (Bleeker, 1865), in the south-eastern Arabian Sea based on a single specimen caught by a commercial trawler off the Kerala coast. Hitherto unknown in the waters off Indian coast, this is the first occurrence of this species in the Indian EEZ, suggesting the extension of distributional range of the species in the Indian Ocean. Detailed information on the morphometric and meristic characters are given and discussed. Molecular confirmation of the species identification was carried out using partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase sub-unit I gene. A map of the geographical distribution of C. opisthopus in the Indian Ocean based on published data and a list of flying fishes occurring in the Indian waters (within EEZ) is provided. Up to now, 24 species from 6 genera of flying fishes are recorded from the Indian waters.