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Platybelone platyura (Bennett, 1832)

Keeled needlefish
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Platybelone platyura
Picture by Randall, J.E.

Guam country information

Common names: Keeled needlefish
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: common (usually seen) | Ref: Myers, R.F., 1991
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/gq.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Myers, R.F., 1991
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Longtom, Keeltail needlefish, Needlefish, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Beloniformes (Needle fishes) > Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Etymology: Platybelone: Greek, platys = flat + Greek, belone = needle; any fish with sharp pointed snout; also Pierre Belon, 1517-64, French zoologist born in Le Mans. Professor at the College de France, author of " La nature et diversité des poissons", 1551 (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Bennett.

Issue
Considered mostly as a subspecies in the literature. Therefore the upraise at species rank here is considered as a provisionally accepted name, until more works are conducted on P. argalus susbepcies to fix their status. Considered mostly as a subspecies in the literature. Therefore the upraise at species rank here is considered as a provisionally accepted name, until more works are conducted on P. argalus susbepcies to fix their status.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 2 m (Ref. 58302).   Tropical; 27°N - 46°S, 51°E - 109°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to the Ogasawara Islands. The subspecies platura from the Red Sea to Persian Gulf, platyura in the rest of the Indo-Pacific, and argalus in the tropical Atlantic (Ref. 37816).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 45.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 89467); common length : 30.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 20; Vertebrae: 62 - 75. Gill rakers present; dorsal fin rays few, 12-15; caudal peduncle greatly depressed with very large keel on each side (Ref. 9682). See also Ref. 1602.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits offshore surface waters but is particularly abundant around islands (Ref. 9682). Probably the most common needlefish of reef flats, lagoons and bays where it occurs in groups of a few to several dozen. Carnivorous, feeding mainly on small fishes; marketed fresh (Ref. 9682). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface (Ref. 205).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B. | Collaborators

Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p. (Ref. 2334)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Not Evaluated