Fish · La Saladita, Guerrero

Sailfish

Istiophorus platypterus

Spanish: Pez vela

Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus)
Photographed by edgar-f-maldonado on iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC

The Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) is a sailfish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is dark blue on top, brown-blue laterally, silvery white underbelly; upper jaw elongated in the form of a spear; first dorsal fin greatly enlarged in the form of a sail, with many black cones, its front squared off, highest at its midpoint; pelvic fins very narrow, reaching almost to the anus; body covered with embedded scales, blunt at end; lateral... Most often recorded in Jun.

TaxonomyActinopterygii › Carangiformes › Istiophoridae
IUCN statusVulnerable (VU)
Local records1 research-grade observation within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records517 on iNaturalist
Recorded here2026 – 2026
Months recorded near La Saladita
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Fish guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/istiophorus-platypterus/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.