Hemiramphus far (Fabricius, 1775)
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. Greatly prolonged, beak-like lower jaw; upper jaw short, triangular and without scales; preorbital ridge absent; total number of gill rakers on first gill arch 25-36; pectoral fins short, not reaching past nasal pit when folded forward; with 3-9 (usually 4-6) vertical bars on the sides. (Ref. 9843). Color bluish dorsally, silvery on sides. 36-41 predorsal scales. Lower lobe of caudal fin longer than upper lobe. Dorsal and anal fins located posteriorly.
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Beloniformes
Family: Hemiramphidae
Genus: Hemiramphus
Species: Hemiramphus far (Fabricius, 1775)
Climate Zone
Biology
Occur in coastal waters of high islands and continental shorelines; generally in areas rich in vegetation (Ref. 5213) and sand flats (Ref. 48635). Form schools. Adults feed mainly on seagrasses, to a lesser extent on green algae and diatoms (Ref. 9843). Breed in estuaries (Ref. 4164). Marketed fresh and dried salted (Ref. 5284, 9843); meat tasty (Ref. 637). Also caught with dragnets (Ref. 30573) and dipnets.
Habitat
brackish
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated
Threat to Humans
Harmless
Hemiramphus far (Fabricius, 1775)