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The paper describes distribution (both seasonal and the average long-term) of the species and subspecies of the three previously taxonomically studied by the author groups of flying fishes: genus Exocoetus, subgenus Hirundichthys s.str. and Cypselurus "poecilopterus" species group. Species distribution is compared with oceanographic features (temperature, salinity, water masses, currents, biological productivity). The cases of joint occurrence of species in one sample are analyzed. It is shown that allopatric (and parapatric) species from different groups have different patterns of area partition. In the case of flying fishes of the genus Exocoetus, the main factor determining the boundaries between species is circulation of surface waters, among the representatives of the subgenus Hirundichthys - it is the distance from coasts, and in the "poecilopterus" group - it is the salinity. The boundaries between the ranges of species of the genus Exocoetus pass mainly along the boundaries of ocean currents, in the species of the subgenus Hirundichthys - along the boundary between the far-neritic and oceanic zones, and in the "poecilopterus" group - according to isohaline of ~ 35 ?. Sympatric species are supposed to have different mechanisms to reduce the interspecies competition: in the genus Exocoetus, there is a division into few-raker and manyraker species, while for the species of the subgenus Hirundichthys it was noticed an alternate use of the Arabian Sea basin and spatial separation of fishes having similar sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven Nerocila species are recorded from 22 marine fishes belonging to 15 families. Three, Nerocila arres, Nerocila depressa, and Nerocila loveni, are new for the Indian fauna. N. arres and Nerocila sigani, previously synonymized, are redescribed and their individuality is restored. Nerocila exocoeti, until now inadequately identified, is described and distinctly characterized. A neotype is designated. New hosts were identified for N. depressa, N. loveni, Nerocila phaiopleura, Nerocila serra, and Nerocila sundaica. Host-parasite relationships were considered. The parasitologic indexes were calculated. The site of attachment of the parasites on their hosts was also observed. A checklist of the nominal Nerocila species until now reported from Indian marine fishes was compiled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, protein of muscles of commercially important marine fishes Nemipterus japonicus and Exocoetus volitans were extracted by trypsin and their hydrolysis conditions viz., temperature, time, and enzyme to substrate concentration on degree of hydrolysis were studied by response surface methodology. The optimum values for N. japonicus was found as temperature, 30°C, hydrolysis time of 100 min an enzyme/substrate concentration of 1.59% whereas, for E. volitans muscle protein, optimum hydrolysis conditions were temperature, 30°C, hydrolysis time of 115 min and enzyme/substrate concentration of 1.67%. Furthermore, amino acid sequence of antioxidant peptides derived after chromatographic purification was identified by ESI-MS/MS. The analysis of peptides showed sequences as Glu-Ser-Asp-Arg-Pro (620.3 Da) and Gly-Trp-Met-Gly-Cys-Trp (747.3) for N. japonicus and E. volitans muscle, respectively. The peptides contained important antioxidant amino acids and acted as good antioxidant peptides to scavenge free radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary In our present investigation, Nemipterus japonicus and Exocoetus volitans backbone protein were hydrolysed by proteases like trypsin and pepsin, respectively. The protein hydrolysates were purified by different chromatographic methods, and the resulted purified peptides were analysed for their amino acid sequences by electrospray ionisation-MS/MS. The analysis of peptides showed sequences as Gly-His-Met-Ser (451.8 Da) and Leu-Glu-Val-Lys-Pro (596.9 Da) for N. japonicus and E. volitans muscle, respectively. The presence of hydrophobic amino acids contributes more to the antioxidant activities of peptides than other amino acids. Moreover, sequence of amino acids in peptides plays an important role in their antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant, antiproliferative and antimicrobial properties of flying fish ( Exocoetus volitans) backbone hydrolysed by three different enzymes namely papain, pepsin and trypsin. The in vitro antioxidant potencies of hydrolysates and purified peptides against 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals were evaluated by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The peptic protein hydrolysate showed maximum free radical scavenging potential and lipid peroxidation inhibition and was further purified by DEAE XK 26/20 anion exchange chromatography followed by G-25 gel permeation chromatography. The amino acid composition of potent purified fraction was determined by HPLC, contains essential and nonessential amino acids with glutamic acid (24.10%), lysine (23.62%), glycine (12.05%) and threonine (10.41%) as the dominant amino acids. The potent purified fraction was tested for cell cytotoxicity on Vero and Hep G cell lines. It was found that fraction IIIb did not show any cytotoxic effect for Vero cell lines and exerted a significant antiproliferative effect on Hep G cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]