Balao halfbeak
Encyclopedia
The Balao halfbeak, Hemiramphus balao, (occasionally shortened to Balao) is an ocean-going species
of fish in the family
Hemiramphidae. It was first described by the French naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueur
in 1821.
(H. brasiliensis). The main difference between the two being that the distance from the nares to the base of the pectoral fin is greater than the length of the Ballyhoo's pectoral fin, while that difference is less than the length of the Balao halfbeak's pectoral fin They have no spine
s on fin
s, but do have 11- 15 rays of their dorsal fin
s and 10 -13 rays on their anal fins. Halfbeak balao have blue-gray skin on their back
s, while their undersides are silver or white. The longest recorded Balao halfbeak was 40 cm long.
and the Gulf of Guinea
from Victoria, Nigeria to Luanda, Angola. Balao halfbeak have also been recorded from Côte d'Ivoire
.
Balao halfbeak can form fairly large schools where they feed on smaller fishes and zooplankton
. They can be found in both brackish and marine
waters and are associated with reefs. Although they are mainly used as baitfish for sailfish
es and marlin
s (they are also preyed upon
by the Brown Noddy
and the Sooty tern
), many are used as food in the West Indies.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of fish in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Hemiramphidae. It was first described by the French naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueur
Charles Alexandre Lesueur
Charles Alexandre Lesueur was a French naturalist, artist and explorer.Pictured here is the oil portrait by Charles Willson Peale of Charles-Alexandre Lesueur...
in 1821.
Description
The Halfbeak balao is similar in appearance to its relative, the BallyhooBallyhoo
The ballyhoo or bally, Hemiramphus brasiliensis, is a baitfish of the halfbeak family . It is similar to the Balao halfbeak . Ballyhoo are frequently used as cut bait and for trolling purposes by saltwater sportsmen.Ballyhoo can also be seen above the waters skimming the surface to escape from...
(H. brasiliensis). The main difference between the two being that the distance from the nares to the base of the pectoral fin is greater than the length of the Ballyhoo's pectoral fin, while that difference is less than the length of the Balao halfbeak's pectoral fin They have no spine
Spine (zoology)
A spine is a hard, thorny or needle-like structure which occurs on various animals. Animals such as porcupines and sea urchins grow spines as a self-defense mechanism. Spines are often formed of keratin...
s on fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
s, but do have 11- 15 rays of their dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
s and 10 -13 rays on their anal fins. Halfbeak balao have blue-gray skin on their back
Dorsum (anatomy)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
s, while their undersides are silver or white. The longest recorded Balao halfbeak was 40 cm long.
Distribution and habitat
Balao halfbeak are found only in the Atlantic Ocean. In the west, they are known from New York south to Brazil, including much of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. In the eastern Atlantic, they are known from the Canary IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
and the Gulf of Guinea
Gulf of Guinea
The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian is in the gulf....
from Victoria, Nigeria to Luanda, Angola. Balao halfbeak have also been recorded from Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
.
Balao halfbeak can form fairly large schools where they feed on smaller fishes and zooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
. They can be found in both brackish and marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
waters and are associated with reefs. Although they are mainly used as baitfish for sailfish
Sailfish
'Sailfish' are two species of fish in the genus Istiophorus, living in warmer sections of all the oceans of the world. They are predominately blue to gray in color and have a characteristic erectile dorsal fin known as a sail, which often stretches the entire length of the back...
es and marlin
Marlin
Marlin, family Istiophoridae, are fish with an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to derive from its resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike...
s (they are also preyed upon
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
by the Brown Noddy
Brown Noddy
The Brown Noddy or Common Noddy is a seabird from the tern family. The largest of the noddies, it can be told from the closely related Black Noddy by its larger size and plumage, which is dark brown rather than black...
and the Sooty tern
Sooty Tern
The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake...
), many are used as food in the West Indies.