Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Belonidae Needlefishes



(See list of species below)


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47 species (see list below)
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Photo by Freitas, R.

Worldwide distribution in
Max. Length 140 cm TL
Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Photo by Freitas, R.
 
Ablennes hians
[Flat needlefish]

Photo by Østergaard, T.

Eastern Atlantic and Medi
Max. Length 104 cm TL
Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1761)

Photo by Photo by Østergaard, T.
 
Belone belone
[Garfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 65.1 cm TL
 
Belone euxini
[]

Photo by Margies, P.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 41.8 cm TL
Belone svetovidovi Collette & Parin, 1970

Photo by Photo by Margies, P.
 
Belone svetovidovi
[]

Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

South America
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Belonion apodion Collette, 1966

Photo by Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
 
Belonion apodion
[]

Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

South America
Max. Length 4.8 cm SL
Belonion dibranchodon Collette, 1966

Photo by Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
 
Belonion dibranchodon
[]

Photo by SFSA

Southeast Atlantic and We
Max. Length 35 cm SL
Petalichthys capensis Regan, 1904

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Petalichthys capensis
[Cape needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 23 cm OT
Platybelone annobonensis Collette & Parin, 1970

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Platybelone annobonensis
[Annobon keel tail needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 50 cm TL
Platybelone argalus (Lesueur, 1821)

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Platybelone argalus
[Keeltail needlefish]

Photo by Freitas, R.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 24 cm OT
Platybelone lovii (Günther, 1866)

Photo by Photo by Freitas, R.
 
Platybelone lovii
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 45 cm TL
 
Platybelone platura
[]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 45 cm TL
Platybelone platyura (Bennett, 1832)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Platybelone platyura
[Keeled needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 40 cm SL
Platybelone pterura (Osburn & Nichols, 1916)

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Platybelone pterura
[Baja California keeltail needlefish]

Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 32 cm OT
Platybelone trachura (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government
 
Platybelone trachura
[]

Photo by Porcelli, D.

South America
Max. Length 22.8 cm SL
Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni Miranda Ribeiro, 1915

Photo by Photo by Porcelli, D.
 
Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni
[]

Photo by Irtz, P.

South America
Max. Length 29.1 cm TL
Potamorrhaphis guianensis (Jardine, 1843)

Photo by Photo by Irtz, P.
 
Potamorrhaphis guianensis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 17.5 cm OT
 
Potamorrhaphis labiata
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 24.6 cm SL
 
Potamorrhaphis petersi
[]

Photo by Yuri Hooker/WWF-OPP

South America
Max. Length 29.8 cm SL
Pseudotylosurus angusticeps (Günther, 1866)

Photo by Photo by Yuri Hooker/WWF-OPP
 
Pseudotylosurus angusticeps
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 44 cm TL
 
Pseudotylosurus microps
[]

Photo by The Fish Database of Taiwan

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Strongylura anastomella (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Photo by The Fish Database of Taiwan
 
Strongylura anastomella
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 91 cm TL
Strongylura exilis (Girard, 1854)

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Strongylura exilis
[Californian needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

South America
Max. Length 51.7 cm SL
Strongylura fluviatilis (Regan, 1903)

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Strongylura fluviatilis
[]

Photo by JJPhoto

Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 40.5 cm SL
Strongylura forsythia Breder, 1932

Photo by Photo by JJPhoto
 
Strongylura forsythia
[]

Photo by Granados-Dieseldorff, P. & M. Christensen

Central America
Max. Length 49.8 cm SL
Strongylura hubbsi Collette, 1974

Photo by Photo by Granados-Dieseldorff, P. & M. Christensen
 
Strongylura hubbsi
[Maya needlefish]

Photo by Honeycutt, K.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm FL
Strongylura incisa (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Photo by Honeycutt, K.
 
Strongylura incisa
[Reef needlefish]
No picture found

Max. Length 85 cm SL
 
Strongylura krefftii
[Long tom]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Strongylura leiurus (Bleeker, 1850)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Strongylura leiurus
[Banded needlefish]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 111 cm TL
Strongylura marina (Walbaum, 1792)

Photo by Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Strongylura marina
[Atlantic needlefish]

Photo by American Littoral Society - Southeast Chapter

Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 61 cm TL
Strongylura notata (Poey, 1860)

Photo by Photo by American Littoral Society - Southeast Chapter
 
Strongylura notata
[Redfin needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 38 cm SL
Strongylura scapularis (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Strongylura scapularis
[Shoulderspot needlefish]

Photo by Mamonekene, V.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 150 cm SL
Strongylura senegalensis (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Photo by Mamonekene, V.
 
Strongylura senegalensis
[Senegal needlefish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 40 cm SL
Strongylura strongylura (van Hasselt, 1823)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Strongylura strongylura
[Spottail needlefish]

Photo by Sazima, I.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 61 cm TL
Strongylura timucu (Walbaum, 1792)

Photo by Photo by Sazima, I.
 
Strongylura timucu
[Timucu]

Photo by Winterbottom, R.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 26.3 cm OT
Strongylura urvillii (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Photo by Winterbottom, R.
 
Strongylura urvillii
[Urville's longtom]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 153 cm TL
Tylosurus acus (Lacepède, 1803)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Tylosurus acus
[Agujon needlefish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 120 cm TL
Tylosurus choram (Rüppell, 1837)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Tylosurus choram
[Red Sea houndfish]

Photo by Baur, J.-C.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 150 cm TL
Tylosurus crocodilus (Péron & Lesueur, 1821)

Photo by Photo by Baur, J.-C.
 
Tylosurus crocodilus
[Hound needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 134 cm TL
Tylosurus fodiator Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Tylosurus fodiator
[Mexican needlefish]

Photo by Good, P.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 75 cm OT
Tylosurus gavialoides (Castelnau, 1873)

Photo by Photo by Good, P.
 
Tylosurus gavialoides
[Stout longtom]

Photo by Lillo, A.O.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 140 cm SL
Tylosurus imperialis (Rafinesque, 1810)

Photo by Photo by Lillo, A.O.
 
Tylosurus imperialis
[]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Tylosurus melanotus (Bleeker, 1850)

Photo by Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Tylosurus melanotus
[Keel-jawed needle fish]

Photo by Proyecto Redes Fantasma

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 150 cm TL
Tylosurus pacificus (Steindachner, 1876)

Photo by Photo by Proyecto Redes Fantasma
 
Tylosurus pacificus
[Pacific agujon needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 58.3 cm SL
Tylosurus punctulatus (Günther, 1872)

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Tylosurus punctulatus
[Spotted long-tom]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 140 cm TL
Tylosurus rafale Collette & Parin, 1970

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Tylosurus rafale
[Atlantic agujon needlefish]

Photo by Ramani Shirantha

Asia
Max. Length 40 cm TL
Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton, 1822)

Photo by Photo by Ramani Shirantha
 
Xenentodon cancila
[Freshwater garfish]

Photo by Grimm, M.

Asia
Max. Length 30 cm SL
Xenentodon canciloides (Bleeker, 1854)

Photo by Photo by Grimm, M.
 
Xenentodon canciloides
[]


Sort by: Species Length Year
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Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Ablennes hians Flat needlefish Worldwide distribution in 140 TL 1846
Belone belone Garfish Eastern Atlantic and Medi 104 TL 1761
Belone euxini Endemic to Black Sea, Sea 65.1 TL 1866
Belone svetovidovi Eastern Atlantic 41.8 TL 1970
Belonion apodion South America 5 SL 1966
Belonion dibranchodon South America 4.8 SL 1966
Petalichthys capensis Cape needlefish Southeast Atlantic and We 35 SL 1904
Platybelone annobonensis Annobon keel tail needlefish Eastern Atlantic 23 OT 1970
Platybelone argalus Keeltail needlefish Western Atlantic 50 TL 1821
Platybelone lovii Eastern Atlantic 24 OT 1866
Platybelone platura Western Indian Ocean 45 TL 1837
Platybelone platyura Keeled needlefish Indo-Pacific 45 TL 1832
Platybelone pterura Baja California keeltail needlefish Eastern Pacific 40 SL 1916
Platybelone trachura Southeast Atlantic 32 OT 1846
Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni South America 22.8 SL 1915
Potamorrhaphis guianensis South America 29.1 TL 1843
Potamorrhaphis labiata South America 17.5 OT 2012
Potamorrhaphis petersi South America 24.6 SL 1974
Pseudotylosurus angusticeps South America 29.8 SL 1866
Pseudotylosurus microps South America 44 TL 1866
Strongylura anastomella Northwest Pacific 100 TL 1846
Strongylura exilis Californian needlefish Eastern Pacific 91 TL 1854
Strongylura fluviatilis South America 51.7 SL 1903
Strongylura forsythia Western Central Atlantic 40.5 SL 1932
Strongylura hubbsi Maya needlefish Central America 49.8 SL 1974
Strongylura incisa Reef needlefish Indo-Pacific 100 FL 1846
Strongylura krefftii Long tom Asia and Oceania 85 SL 1866
Strongylura leiurus Banded needlefish Indo-West Pacific 100 TL 1850
Strongylura marina Atlantic needlefish Western Atlantic 111 TL 1792
Strongylura notata Redfin needlefish Western Central Atlantic 61 TL 1860
Strongylura scapularis Shoulderspot needlefish Eastern Pacific 38 SL 1882
Strongylura senegalensis Senegal needlefish Eastern Atlantic 150 SL 1846
Strongylura strongylura Spottail needlefish Indo-West Pacific 40 SL 1823
Strongylura timucu Timucu Western Atlantic 61 TL 1792
Strongylura urvillii Urville's longtom Western Pacific 26.3 OT 1846
Tylosurus acus Agujon needlefish Western Atlantic 153 TL 1803
Tylosurus choram Red Sea houndfish Western Indian Ocean 120 TL 1837
Tylosurus crocodilus Hound needlefish Indo-West Pacific 150 TL 1821
Tylosurus fodiator Mexican needlefish Eastern Central Pacific 134 TL 1882
Tylosurus gavialoides Stout longtom Indo-West Pacific 75 OT 1873
Tylosurus imperialis Eastern Atlantic 140 SL 1810
Tylosurus melanotus Keel-jawed needle fish Indo-Pacific 100 TL 1850
Tylosurus pacificus Pacific agujon needlefish Eastern Pacific 150 TL 1876
Tylosurus punctulatus Spotted long-tom Western Central Pacific 58.3 SL 1872
Tylosurus rafale Atlantic agujon needlefish Eastern Atlantic 140 TL 1970
Xenentodon cancila Freshwater garfish Asia 40 TL 1822
Xenentodon canciloides Asia 30 SL 1854



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