United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Balao, Ballyhoo, Halfbeak
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: bait: yes;
Comments: Important bait fishery in Dade and Monroe, southern Florida (Ref. 3723); Reported from Chesapeake Bay (Ref. 27549, 93252). Occurrence in Chesapeake Bay: rare summertime visitors to the lower Chesapeake Bay (Ref. 93252).
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Beloniformes (Needle fishes) > Hemiramphidae (Halfbeaks)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Demi-bec brésilien, Agujeta brasileña, Balahu, ... more

Main reference

Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray. 1986. (Ref. 7251)
References | Biblio | Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 55.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2683); common length : 35.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3633); max. published weight: 200.00 g (Ref. 5217)

Length at first maturity
L_m 19.3 range ? - ? cm

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 5 m (Ref. 3723), usually 0 - 2 m (Ref. 40849)

Climate / Range

Subtropical, preferred 24°C (Ref. 107945); 43°N - 13°S

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, including the Caribbean Sea (Ref. 3723); absent in Bermuda. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde and Dakar, Senegal to Luanda, Angola (Ref. 4497).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal soft rays: 12 - 13. No ridge between nostril and eye (Ref. 26938).

An inshore, surface-dwelling species forming sizeable schools (Ref. 3723). Feeds mainly on sea grasses and small fishes (Ref. 3723). Mainly used as bait for offshore game fishes such as sailfishes and marlins; utilized as a food fish in the West Indies (Ref. 3723).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30911)

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 0.5005 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
2.3 ±0.1 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.58 questionable; assuming tmax>3)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Medium

Hemiramphus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758)