Blacksail flyingfish

Cheilopogon nigricans

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth0–2,926 m
Water temperature21–29 °C
Best monthsApril, September, and November
How commonRare

About this species

Cheilopogon nigricans, the blacksail flyingfish, also known as African flyingfish, or leaping flyingfish, is a flying fish in the family Exocoetidae. It is an oceanodromous, plankton-eating marine fish which has commercial value.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Cheilopogon nigricans”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 1 records
February: 4 records
March: 0 records
April: 8 records
May: 4 records
June: 3 records
July: 3 records
August: 4 records
September: 5 records
October: 0 records
November: 5 records
December: 2 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–2,926 m · Deepest record: 4,389.1 m

0–10 m: 7 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 1 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 3 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 21–29 °C

20–22 °C: 2 records
22–24 °C: 2 records
24–26 °C: 2 records
26–28 °C: 14 records
28–30 °C: 19 records

Names and classification

English: Blacksail flyingfish, African flyingfish, Blacksail flyingfish, blacksail flyingfish, Blacksail Flyingfish

Names in 3 more languages

Spanish: volador africano
Filipino: Iliw, Lawin
French: Exocet africain

Other scientific names: Cypselurus nigricans, Exocaetus nigricans, Exocoetus nigricans

Similar species

Abe's Flyingfish
Cheilopogon abei
Spotfin flyingfish
Cheilopogon furcatus
Bearhead Flyingfish
Cheilopogon arcticeps
Intermediate Flyingfish
Cheilopogon intermedius
Lesser Spotted Flying-fish
Cheilopogon spilopterus
Sutton's Flyingfish
Cheilopogon suttoni

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
96 open-data records from 1908 to 2007.
Species data updated October 26, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist