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Species: Hemiramphus bermudensis, Bermuda halfbeak

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

back green
C top lobe orange-yellow
gill rakers 37-45
pectoral tips not reaching nasal pit
A 13 (12-14)

Hemiramphus bermudensis Collette, 1962

Bermuda halfbeak

Elongate and slender; no teeth; lower jaw extended into a long beak; upper jaw short, triangular, scaleless; nostrils in a pit before eye; no ridge just before eye; gill rakers 37-45 (average 40), 9-13 + 26-33; dorsal and anal fins are at the rear of the body, with bases about opposite one another; dorsal rays 13-15 (usually 14); anal rays 12-14 (usually 13); pelvic fins are under the rear of the abdomen; pectoral fins high on the sides, pectoral rays 10-12 (usually 11), fins short, not reaching nasal opening when folded forward; tail fin deeply forked, lower lobe much larger; lateral line low on side of body; scales large and smooth.

Greenish on back, silvery on side of head and body, and white ventrally; fleshy tip of beak red; top tail lobe reddish-orange in adults.

 Size: grows to 44 cm.

 Habitat: surface inshore waters.

 Depth: 0-5 m?

 Endemic to Bermuda.


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Salinity
  • Brackish
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore Only
  • Inshore
Water Column Position
  • Surface
  • Near Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Planktivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
  • Bony fishes
Egg Type
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
  • Benthic
Global Endemism
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • All species.
Regional Endemism
  • Island (s) only
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species..
  • Bermuda endemic
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 44
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 5