Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

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Family: BELONIDAE, Houndfishes, Needlefish, Needlefishes


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no finlets after D & A
both jaws v long, with many sharp teeth
scales small

FAMILY BELONIDAE

NEEDLEFISHES, HOUNDFISHES

Needlefishes have very slender bodies; extremely elongate jaws form a long beak, with numerous needle-like teeth; fins without spines; 1 dorsal fin; dorsal and anal fins at rear of body, no isolated finlets after each fin; pelvics near the end of the abdomen, 6 rays; lateral line low on body; scales small, smooth; bones are greenish.

The family is distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate seas; there are 10 genera and 32 species; seven species in four genera occur in our region.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER COLLETTE (2002)