Genus: Hyporhamphus, Silverstripe Halfbeak, Halfbeaks

HYPORHAMPHUS

HALFBEAKS

Elongate and slender; no teeth; lower jaw extended into a long beak; upper jaw short, triangular, covered with scales; nostrils in a pit before eye; ridge just before eye; no spines in fins; dorsal and anal fins are at the rear of the body, with bases about opposite one another; pelvic fins are under the rear of the abdomen; pectoral fins high on the sides; tail fin slightly to moderately forked, lower lobe larger; anal fin 14-17 rays; lateral line low on side of body; scales large and smooth.

A circumtropical genus with 36 species. One W Atlantic species, one NW Atlantic and 2 endemic species occur in the Greater Caribbean.