Needlefish

Common Family Name

Needlefish

Alias

Houndfish, Halfbeaks

Scientific Name

Belonidae

Size

Up to 95 cm, average 30 cm.

Identification

Long cigar-shaped bodies with pointed head. Long jaws with small needle-like teeth. All fins are towards the back half of the body. No spines in fins. Ventrally they are silvery white with blue, black or green on top.

General Info

Belonidae family consists of 10 genera and 34 species. Found near the surface in the ocean. Colouration gives very good camouflage. Can leap from the water when frightened. Upper beak only reaches full length in adulthood. Have a half-beak appearance. Pelagic spawners, eggs attach to floating objects.

Feeding

Feeds on plankton as juveniles and small pelagic fish and swimming crustaceans when adult.

Distribution

Occurs in all temperate and tropical oceans of the world.

Common Species

Tropical halfbeak - Tylosurus crocodilus