Genus: Platybelone, Keeltail Needlefish, Needlefishes
very slender, rounded
tail base flat, + keel
C concave
C concave
jaws very long, lower longer
PLATYBELONE
NEEDLEFISHES
Body extremely elongate, cylindrical; both jaws very long (lower one distinctly longer), forming a long beak, with numerous needle-like teeth; gill rakers present; fins without spines; dorsal and anal fins without prominent front lobes; dorsal fin with 11-14 rays; tail base flattened, with large lateral keels; tail fin concave, with equal sized lobes.
This genus has a single circumtropical species, with 7 subspecies, the NW Atlantic subspecies in our region.
