First report of five flying fishes (Teleostei: Beloniformes: Exocoetidae) from West Bengal coast

Abstract

Flying fishes (Beloniformes: Exocoetidae), a group of interesting marine fishes, having circum-global distribution, till date were represented by only three species in coastal waters of West Bengal, namely, <em>Cypselurus poecilopterus</em>,<em> Exocoetus volitans </em>and erroneously listed <em>Parexocoetus brachypterus.</em> The present paper recorded five more flying fishes, <em>viz</em>., <em>Cheilopogon intermedius</em>; <em>C. suttoni</em>; <em>C. cyanopterus</em>; <em>Cypselurus naressi</em> and <em>Hirundichthys speculiger</em>, with material evidence from West Bengal coast and also confirms occurrence of <em>Parexocoetus mento</em>, recorded earlier<em>. </em>The range extension of these flying fishes may be attributed to exploration of new fishing grounds within the Indian EEZ or even to climate change impact.