Family : Exocoetidae (Flyingfishes)
Order : Beloniformes  (needle fishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : African flyingfish
Fish Name : Cheilopogon nigricans
Max size : 28.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 3613)
Environment : pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous
Climate : tropical; 40°N - 30°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K>1)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: in tropical waters, south to the Mascarenes, Aldabra, and Natal, South Africa (Ref. 33390) and east to Japan, the Caroline and Solomon islands. Western Atlantic: 40°N to off Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Gulf of Guinea and adjacent waters.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-15; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 8-11. Body dark iridescent blue above, silvery white below; pectorals black with pale margin, central portion crossed by a yellowish stripe becoming narrower toward anterior fin margin; pelvic fins with prominent black spot (Ref. 6797). Body of juveniles with dark bars (Ref. 6797).
Biology : Inhabits surface waters of the open ocean, capable of leaping out of the water and gliding for long distances above the surface (Ref. 3395)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Parin, Nikolay V.
Main Ref : Parin, N.V. and R.H. Gibbs, Jr.. 1990. (Ref. 4498)

India country information
Common Names : [ No common name ]
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses