Hyporhamphus unifasciatus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Beloniformes |
Family: | Hemiramphidae |
Genus: | Hyporhamphus |
Species: | H. unifasciatus |
Binomial name | |
Hyporhamphus unifasciatus | |
Synonyms [3] | |
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Hyporhamphus unifasciatus, the common halfbeak or the Atlantic silverstripe halfbeak, is a bony fish in the family Hemiramphidae. It is found in the subtropical western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It is a common fish and not used for food to any great extent, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The common halfbeak grows to a length of about 30 cm (12 in). It is an elongated cylindrical fish, tapering slightly at both ends; the length is typically six to ten times the depth. As is typical of halfbeaks, the lower jaw is elongated (less so in young fish) while the upper jaw is short. There are many sharp teeth, and the dorsal surface of the head has a patch of enlarged scales. The dorsal fin has 14 to 16 soft rays and the anal fin has 15 to 17 soft rays, these two fins being of equivalent size and both being set far back near the caudal peduncle. There are no extra little finlets between them and the tailfin. The general colour of this fish is dark green with a silvery sheen. There are three dark longitudinal lines on the top of the back and the fins have dusky edges. A silvery line runs from the eye to the caudal peduncle, and the flanks below this are paler. In the living fish, the tip of the lower jaw is red. The lining of the abdominal cavity is black. [4]
The common halfbeak is native to the sub-tropical western Atlantic Ocean. Its range includes both the Atlantic coasts of America, the Caribbean coast and the Gulf of Mexico, and its range extends as far north as the Gulf of Maine. It occurs in the shallow sublittoral zone down to depths of about 5 m (16 ft) in coastal areas, bays and estuaries. [4]
This is a schooling fish living in surface waters. It is an omnivore, feeding on algae, pieces of seagrass, small invertebrates and fish. It is oviparous. [1] [3]
The common halfbeak is a common fish in most of its range and is especially abundant in the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is sometimes caught as bycatch when fishing for other species but, although it is edible, it is not much esteemed. No specific threats to this species have been identified and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as being of "least concern". [1]
Hyporhamphus ihi, the garfish or piper, is a halfbeak found all around New Zealand in shallow inshore waters.
The banded butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda. Common names include the banded butterflyfish, the butterbun, the butterflyfish, the Portuguese butterfly, the school mistress and the banded mariposa.
The great barracuda, is a common species of barracuda: large, predatory ray-finned fish found in subtropical oceans around the world.
The red porgy, or common seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Sparidae. It is found in shallow waters on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, being present on the western coast of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea as well as the eastern coasts of North and South America and the Caribbean Sea. It feeds on or near the seabed and most individuals start life as females and later change sex to males.
The horse-eye jack, also known as the big-eye jack, is a game fish and minor commercial fish in the family Carangidae. Its appearance is similar to that of the crevalle jack, although the horse-eye jack's head is not as blunt. The horse-eye jack is known to feed on smaller fish and on many invertebrates, such as shrimp and crab.
The bluestriped grunt, also known as the boar grunt, golden grunt, humpback grunt, redmouth grunt, or yellow grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The whitefin sharksucker or short-disk sharksucker, is a species of remora native to subtropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. This fish can reach a length of 75 centimetres (30 in) TL though most fish do not exceed 50 centimetres (20 in) TL. It can be free-swimming, or can attach itself to a host fish or turtle by means of a sucker on the back of the head.
Acanthurus tractus, the five-band surgeonfish, ocean surgeon, or ocean surgeonfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Acanthuridae found in the western Atlantic Ocean, Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Until recently, it was considered a synonym of Acanthurus bahianus, but its status as a separate species was resurrected in 2011.
The fourbeard rockling or four-bearded rockling is a species of lotid fish found in the northern Atlantic Ocean. This species grows to 41 cm (16 in) in total length. It is of minor importance in commercial fisheries.
The Congaturi halfbeak, also known as the Valenciennes halfbeak, is a potamodromous species of fish in the family Hemiramphidae. It is a valued commercial fish in tropical countries both dried salted and fresh forms.
The blackfin snapper, also known as the blackspot snapper, blackfin red snapper, gun-mouth backfin, gun-mouth snapper, redfish and wrenchman is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean. It is a commercially important species, though it has been reported to carry the ciguatera toxin.
Paroncheilus affinis, the bigtooth cardinalfish or longtooth cardinalfish, is a species of marine fish in the family Apogonidae and the only member of its genus. The bigtooth cardinalfish lives in the west-central Atlantic, off southern Florida, United States, and from the Bahamas to Venezuela, and as far south as Suriname. This species also is found in the east-central Atlantic and the Gulf of Guinea, and has been reported as far as Cape Verde. It is a pale orangeish colour.
Selene setapinnis, the Atlantic moonfish, is a West Atlantic fish belonging to the family Carangidae.
The orangespotted filefish is a species of filefish described by Ranzani in 1842. and it is native to shallow waters in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
The queen snapper, also known as the night snapper or brim snapper, is a species of ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, and is the only species in the genus Etelis found outside the Indo-Pacific region.
Synodus macrostigmus, commonly known as the largespot lizardfish, is a species of fish in the lizardfish family, Synodontidae, a basal ray-finned fish in the class Actinopterygii. It is native to the warm temperate western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Hyporhamphus affinis, the tropical halfbeak, tropical garfish, insular halfbeak or coral reef halfbeak, is a species of schooling marine fish from the family Hemiramphidae. It is distributed through the Indo-Pacific regions and has been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea which it reached through the Suez Canal.
The short beard codling is a species of marine bony fish in the family Moridae. Native to the western Atlantic Ocean, it is found on the continental slope at depths between 50 and 1,620 m.
Decodon puellaris, the red hogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses, from the western Atlantic Ocean.
Mullus auratus, the red goatfish or northern goatfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a goatfish from the family Mullidae which is native to the western Atlantic Ocean.