Distribution: Marine and freshwater.Tropical and temperate waters. Diagnostic Features: Elongatefishes with both upper and lower jaws extended into long beaks filled with sharp teeth (except in neotenic Belonion); nostrils in a pitanterior to eyes. No spines in fins; dorsal and anal fins posterior in position; pectoral fins short. Dorsal fin with 11-43 rays; anal fin with 12-39 rays, pelvic fins, with 6 soft rays, are located in an abdominal position; and pectoral fins with 5-15 rays. Lateral linerunningdown from pectoral finorigin and then along ventral margin of body. Scales small, cycloid, easily detached. Precaudal vertebrae 33-65, caudalvertebrae 19-41 and total vertebrae 52-97. Colour: These fishes live at the surface and are protectively colored for this mode of life by being green or blue on the back and silvery white on the lower sides and belly. Usually, a dusky or dark blue stripe along sides; fleshytip of lower jaw frequently red or orange. Some fresh water needlefishes reach only 6 or 7 cm in total length while some marine species may attain 2 m. Composition of Family: The Belonidae contains 10 genera and 34 species. Four genera are monotypic: the southern African Petalichthys, the worldwide Ablennes and Platybelone, and apparently the Asian freshwater Xenetodon. The eastern Atlantic Belone contains two species. Tylosurus contains six species of strictly marine species. Three genera are restricted to freshwaters of South America: Belonion (two species), Potamorrhaphis (three), and Pseudotylosurus (two). The most speciosegenus, Strongylura, contains 14 species, mostly marine, some estuarine, and three strictly freshwater, two of which are found in Central and South America, S. fluviatilis from Ecuador and Colombia and S. hubbsi from Mexico and
Guatemala. Five species are considered polytypic, containing a total of 17 subspecies.Habitat and Biology: Most species are marine, but some occur in freshwaters.
Carnivorous, feeding largely on small fishes which they catch sideways in their beaks. Needlefishes tend to leap and skitter at the surface and some people have been injured when accidentally struck by them, particularly at night when the fishes are attracted by lights. Interest to Fisheries: Caught by casting or trolling surface or
near-surface lures and in floating gill nets. Flesh excellent in flavor although some people have misgivings about eating it due to the presence of many small bones and the green color of the bones.
The family Belonidae belongs to the ClassActinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order
Beloniformes. It contains 10 genera and 34 species. It may be found in Marine, Brackish, and Freshwater environments and is primarily Marine. Some members of this family are used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The
main mode of swimming of adultfish in this family is carangiform. Members of this family have been dated back to the middleOligoceneepoch of the Tertiaryperiod. This family may be found from 65° n to 40° s and 122° w to 154° e. Etymology of this family
name: Greek, belone = needle
Size/Age/Growth:
Males are commonly 70 cm (Standard Length) in length when caught/marketed, but may be as large as 140 cm (Total Length).
Worldwide distribution in tropical and warm temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde and Dakar to Motamedes, Angola[1]; ranging further south to Namibia[2]. Western Atlantic: Chesapeake Bay (USA), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil[3]. Throughout the Indian Ocean. Western Pacific: off coasts and islands from southern Japan through the East Indies to Australia[4]. Reported from Tuvalu[5]. Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Peru. Entire Caribbean, Antilles and South American
coast to Rio de Janeiro[6].
Range and Population
Worldwide distribution in tropical and warm temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde and Dakar to Moçamedes, Angola[7]; ranging further south to Namibia[8]. Western Atlantic: Chesapeake Bay (USA), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil[9]. Throughout the Indian Ocean. Western Pacific: off coasts and islands from southern Japan through the East Indies to Australia[10]. Reported from Tuvalu[11]. Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Peru. Entire Caribbean, Antilles and South
American coast to Rio de Janeiro[12].
Inhabits neritic and oceanic waters but more often found near islands[13]. Found in estuaries[14], and coastal rivers[15]. Sometimes forming large schools[16].
Oviparous[18]. In females, only left gonad is developed, and in males the right gonad is small or absent[19]. Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by filaments on the egg's surface[20].
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