Species: Tylosurus crocodilus fodiator, Crocodile needlefish, Hound needlefish, Mexican needlefish, the Houndfish
beak short
Tylosurus crocodilus fodiator Jordan & Gilbert, 1882
Crocodile needlefish, Hound needlefish, Houndfish, Mexican needlefish
Relatively robust; beak relatively short, stout and straight; dorsal rays 18-22 (usually 20); anal rays 17-18 (usually 18); front lobes of dorsal + anal fin relatively high; pectoral rays 14 or 15; pectoral + pelvic fins relatively long; tail fin with concave to slightly forked rear edge, lower lobe longer than upper lobe; a prominent raised keel on side of tail base; 320-361 scales before dorsal fin.
Dark bluish green above, silvery on sides; keel on tail base black
Size: to 125cm.
Habitat: inshore, pelagic surface.
Depth: 0-10 m?
Circumtropical, with a subspecies endemic to our region: Baja, the Gulf of California to Ecuador, Galapagos, Cocos and Malpelo.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Brackish
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Surface
- Water column only
- Habitat
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- Water column
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Pelagic crustacea
- Bony fishes
- Egg Type
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- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Benthic
- Global Endemism
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- East Pacific endemic
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- TEP endemic
- Continent + Island (s)
- All species
- Island (s)
- Continent
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- IUCN Red List
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- Not evaluated / Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 125
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 10
