Needlefish
Encyclopedia
Needlefish are piscivorous fishes primarily associated with very shallow marine habitats or the surface of the open sea. Some genera include species found in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments (e.g., Strongylura) while a few genera are confined to freshwater rivers and streams, including Belonion, Potamorrhaphis, and Xenentodon. Needlefish closely resemble North American freshwater gar
s (family Lepisosteidae) in being elongate and having long, narrow jaws filled with sharp teeth, and some species of needlefish are referred to as gars or garfish despite being only distantly related to the true gars. In fact the name "garfish
" was originally used for the needlefish Belone belone in Europe and only later applied to the North American fishes by European settlers during the 18th century.
Needlefish are slender fish, ranging from 3 centimetres (1.2 in) to 95 centimetres (37.4 in) in length. They have a single dorsal fin
, placed far back on the body, almost opposite to the anal fin. Their most distinctive feature is their long narrow beak, which bears multiple sharp teeth. In most species, the upper jaw only reaches its full length in adulthood, so that the juveniles have a half-beak appearance, with an elongate lower jaw, but a much smaller upper one. During this stage of their life cycle, they eat plankton
, switching to fish once the beak fully develops.
, swimming crustacean
s, and small cephalopod
s. Freshwater species are also predatory, with the Asian species at least feeding exclusively on small crustaceans.
Needlefish are most common in the tropics but some inhabit temperate waters as well, particularly during the summer months. Belone belone is a common North Atlantic species that often swims in schools alongside mackerel
.
, are capable of making short jumps out of the water at up to 38 miles per hour (17 m/s). Since needlefish swim near the surface, they often leap over the decks of shallow boats rather than going around. This jumping activity is greatly excited by artificial light at night; night fisherman and divers in areas across the Pacific Ocean have been "attacked" by schools of suddenly excited needlefish diving across the water towards the light source at high speed. Their sharp beak is capable of inflicting deep puncture wounds, often breaking off inside the victim in the process. For many traditional Pacific Islander
communities, who primarily fish on reefs
from low boats, needlefish represent an even greater risk of injury than sharks.
Two historical deaths have been attributed to needlefish. The first was in 1977 when a 10-year-old Hawai'ian boy, night fishing with his father at Hanamaulu Bay, Kaua'i, was killed when a 3 to 4 ft (0.9144 to 1.2 m) needlefish jumped from the water and pierced his eye and brain. The second was a 16-year-old Vietnamese
boy, stabbed through the heart by the 6 inches (152.4 mm) spike of a needlefish in 2007 while night diving for sea cucumber
s near Halong Bay
.
and close relatives of the flyingfish
es, halfbeak
s, and sauries
. The family contains 34 species, grouped into 10 genera:
Family Belonidae
from South East Asia, is occasionally kept as an aquarium fish. It is a relatively small species, no more than 30 to 40 cm in length when fully grown, but is considered to be a rather delicate fish best suited to advanced aquarists.
Gar
In American English the name gar is strictly applied to members of the Lepisosteidae, a family including seven living species of fish in two genera that inhabit fresh, brackish, and occasionally marine, waters of eastern North America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands.-Etymology:In...
s (family Lepisosteidae) in being elongate and having long, narrow jaws filled with sharp teeth, and some species of needlefish are referred to as gars or garfish despite being only distantly related to the true gars. In fact the name "garfish
Garfish
The garfish , or sea needle, is a pelagic, oceanodromous needlefish found in brackish and marine waters of the Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, etc. The fish lives close to the surface and has a migratory pattern similar to that of the mackerel, arriving a short time before...
" was originally used for the needlefish Belone belone in Europe and only later applied to the North American fishes by European settlers during the 18th century.
Description
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...
, placed far back on the body, almost opposite to the anal fin. Their most distinctive feature is their long narrow beak, which bears multiple sharp teeth. In most species, the upper jaw only reaches its full length in adulthood, so that the juveniles have a half-beak appearance, with an elongate lower jaw, but a much smaller upper one. During this stage of their life cycle, they eat plankton
Plankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
, switching to fish once the beak fully develops.
Ecology
All needlefish feed primarily on smaller fishes, which they catch with a sideways sweep of the head. In addition some species will also take planktonPlankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
, swimming crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s, and small cephalopod
Cephalopod
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...
s. Freshwater species are also predatory, with the Asian species at least feeding exclusively on small crustaceans.
Needlefish are most common in the tropics but some inhabit temperate waters as well, particularly during the summer months. Belone belone is a common North Atlantic species that often swims in schools alongside mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
.
Danger to humans
Needlefish, like all ray-finned beloniformsBeloniformes
The Beloniformes are an order of five families of freshwater and marine ray-finned fish: the Adrianichthyidae ; Belonidae ; Exocoetidae ; Hemiramphidae ; and the Scomberesocidae...
, are capable of making short jumps out of the water at up to 38 miles per hour (17 m/s). Since needlefish swim near the surface, they often leap over the decks of shallow boats rather than going around. This jumping activity is greatly excited by artificial light at night; night fisherman and divers in areas across the Pacific Ocean have been "attacked" by schools of suddenly excited needlefish diving across the water towards the light source at high speed. Their sharp beak is capable of inflicting deep puncture wounds, often breaking off inside the victim in the process. For many traditional Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
communities, who primarily fish on reefs
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
from low boats, needlefish represent an even greater risk of injury than sharks.
Two historical deaths have been attributed to needlefish. The first was in 1977 when a 10-year-old Hawai'ian boy, night fishing with his father at Hanamaulu Bay, Kaua'i, was killed when a 3 to 4 ft (0.9144 to 1.2 m) needlefish jumped from the water and pierced his eye and brain. The second was a 16-year-old Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
boy, stabbed through the heart by the 6 inches (152.4 mm) spike of a needlefish in 2007 while night diving for sea cucumber
Sea cucumber
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea.They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. There are a number of holothurian species and genera, many of which are targeted...
s near Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, located in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. Administratively, the bay belongs to Hạ Long City, Cẩm Phả town, and part of Van Don district. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes...
.
Classification
Needlefishes are members of the BeloniformesBeloniformes
The Beloniformes are an order of five families of freshwater and marine ray-finned fish: the Adrianichthyidae ; Belonidae ; Exocoetidae ; Hemiramphidae ; and the Scomberesocidae...
and close relatives of the flyingfish
Flyingfish
Exocoetidae, is a family of marine fish in the order Beloniformes of class Actinopterygii. Fish of this family are known as flying fish. There are about 64 species grouped in seven to nine genera.- Etymology :...
es, halfbeak
Halfbeak
The halfbeaks are a geographically widespread and numerically abundant family of epipelagic fish inhabiting warm waters around the world. The family Hemiramphidae is divided into two subfamilies, the primarily marine Hemiramphinae and the freshwater or estuarine Zenarchopterinae...
s, and sauries
Saury
Sauries are fish of the family Scomberesocidae. There are two genera, each containing two species. The name Scomberesocidae is derived from the Greek, skombros = tuna/mackerel, and esox = nursery of salmon....
. The family contains 34 species, grouped into 10 genera:
Family Belonidae
- Genus Ablennes
- Ablennes hians - Flat needlefish
- Genus Belone
- Belone belone - Garpike
- Belone svetovidovi- Arafyda
- Genus Belonion
- Belonion apodion- Spinner Garfish
- Belonion dibranchodon- Amazon small needlefish
- Genus Petalichthys
- Petalichthys capensis - Cape needlefish
- Genus Platybelone
- Platybelone argalus - Keeltail needlefish
- Genus Potamorrhaphis
- Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni- Ehrlich Jiang needlefish
- Potamorrhaphis guianensis- Knotted Zophi
- Potamorrhaphis petersi-Fish River needlefish boyfriend
- Genus Pseudotylosaurus
- Pseudotylosurus angusticeps- Needle Fish, Fish Pen Needle
- Pseudotylosurus microps- Needle Fish, Fish Pen
- Genus Strongylura
- Strongylura anastomella- datsu
- Strongylura exilis - Californian needlefish
- Strongylura fluviatilis- stream habitat column needlefish
- Strongylura hubbsi - Maya needlefish
- Strongylura incisa - Reef needlefish
- Strongylura krefftii - freshwater Long tom
- Strongylura leiura - Banded needlefish
- Strongylura marinaStrongylura marinaStrongylura marina, also called the Atlantic needlefish is a common top water resident of marinas and other areas with minimal current this fish is in the family Belonidae. It's extremely long jaws and body set this fish apart from other predators...
- Atlantic needlefish - Strongylura notata - Redfin needlefish
- Strongylura scapularis - Shoulderspot needlefish
- Strongylura senegalensis - Senegal needlefish
- Strongylura strongylura - Spottail needlefish
- Strongylura timucu - Timucu
- Strongylura urvillii - Urville's longtom
- Genus Tylosurus
- Tylosurus acus - Agujon needlefish
- Tylosurus choram - Red Sea houndfish
- Tylosurus crocodilus
- Tylosurus gavialoides - Stout longtom
- Tylosurus pacificus - Pacific agujon needlefish
- Tylosurus punctulatus - Spotted long-tom
- Genus Xenentodon
- Xenentodon cancilaXenentodon cancilaThe freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila is the sole member of its genus. It is found primarily in freshwater habitats, though it is sometimes found in brackish water and the sea. It is most common in rivers, but may also be found ponds, canals, and other freshwater habitats...
- Freshwater garfish - Xenentodon canciloides- Trey Phtoung
- Xenentodon cancila
In the aquarium
Some species of needlefish inhabit brackish and freshwater environments, and one of the freshwater species, Xenentodon cancilaXenentodon cancila
The freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila is the sole member of its genus. It is found primarily in freshwater habitats, though it is sometimes found in brackish water and the sea. It is most common in rivers, but may also be found ponds, canals, and other freshwater habitats...
from South East Asia, is occasionally kept as an aquarium fish. It is a relatively small species, no more than 30 to 40 cm in length when fully grown, but is considered to be a rather delicate fish best suited to advanced aquarists.