Question

Assertion:
The common name of Exocetus is flying fish.
Reason:
Exocetus has wings like pectoral fins.
A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.

Answer 1

Fishes are gill-bearing aquatic organisms belonging to the group Olfactories. Most of the fish are ray-finned fishes that belong to the class Actinopterygii. Some of them have pectoral fins that belong to the family Exocoetidae. They have the body covered with cycloid scales.

Complete answer:
The flying fish forms a family called Exocoetidae with 64 known species. These fish cannot fly like a bird can but they can make self-propelled leaps out of the water over long distances. They have powerful wing-like pectoral fins that enable gliding for larger distances above the water surface. They are found in warm subtropical and tropical ocean water. Exocoetus is the common name for a flying fish genus that contains bony fish with cycloid scales. These fish have a wide mouth with jaws having teeth-like structures. The tail consists of hypobaric fins.
The main reason for the flying behavior seen in flying fish is considered as a safety technique. The flying fish do so to escape from underwater predators like mackerel, tuna, swordfish, marlin, etc. The frigate birds predate over the flying fish when they glide in the air.
Various morphological features allow flying fish to glide. They have a rigid body that gives them aerodynamic advantages. This increases their speed and improves its aim. The streamlined bodies of Exocoetus give them the advantage to have a faster speed which they can optimize easily.
Therefore, from the above discussion, we can conclude that both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for the Assertion.

Hence, option A) is the right answer.

Note: Barbados country is known as “the land of the flying fish”. They have the national symbols of flying fish. The flying fish have many cultural aspects of Barbadian culture. They are depicted on coins, artworks, and sculptures in fountains.