flying fish?

Hi all, in Kimbe/PNG while doing a safety stop on a night dive we spotted this weird fish. It behaved like a butterfly underwater. Very erratic random movements, right at the surface. We were able to catch it in a bucket for some closeups. Ofcourse we released it.

Is this a flying fish? We have a limited amount of images of flying fish, and I cant find a match in those.

Cor

Yep. A juvenile. Tend to see them near rafts of drifting weed etc.

Alex

In the images I can find of flying fish I dont see one with those frilly bits at its mouth. Is that something that disappears as it grows into an adult?

Cor

Yep, I agree. I see a lot of the different stages in the Gulf floating in the sargassum rafts. The juveniles look almost like grasshoppers!

Cheers

James

Anyone know someone I can ask for the exact species?

Cor

OUr fish expert Luiz Rocha. Where is that boy? I'm surprised he hasn't already responded!

I was travelling, but I am back now . I will be in my office later today and I will check with my books there.

I was travelling too Any luck Rocha?

Cor

These are great shots, but we have nothing in the databases (as yet) that resembles this one. Apparently this group of animals is difficult to photograph and even more difficult to identify. Kuiter & Debelius also make no attempt of determination. They write on page 102: "Flyingfish are difficult to identify without having examined a specimen". A sentence we hear too much these days...

Now, among the photos viewed: none have this delicious moustache. And instead of a yellow band in the centre of the big fins most species are transluscent exactly on this spot.

Guido